Blessing in Disguise
by Jaenera Targaryen
Summary: Fate can be quite cruel. All it takes is for a single misfortune, and the promise of tomorrow can be taken away, never to be returned again. Or so it seems. As unfortunate as it might have seemed at the time, though she might never not know it, the loss of a sister she never knew ensures a favorable outcome for one Sakura Tohsaka...or has it really?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Blessing in Disguise

Prologue

White light filled the underground room, flooding out from the circle drawn on the floor with iron and chalk, and powered by the young woman standing just outside, a crimson gem glowing with its own light hanging from her fingers on a silver chain. Motes of light swirled above the circle's center, and then coalesced into a figure cloaked in red over black and silver armor.

Then the light faded, and said figure opened his eyes and stared at the one who'd summoned him. "Huh…" Sakura Tohsaka said while scratching her head. "That…actually, worked."

The newly-summoned Servant raised an eyebrow. "If I might ask," he began. "You didn't think it would?"

"The summoning ritual?" Sakura asked back. "No, I did everything right, so I expected it to work. I _hoped _it wouldn't though, so I wouldn't have to get involved in this war."

"That…does not make sense." The Servant said incredulously. "How can you even be a Master or even have summoned me if you didn't want to get involved in this war?"

Sakura smirked and crossed her arms. "As Kirei's been saying for a long time," she said. "I'm a mass of contradictions."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Sakura said with a nod. "Anyway, enough about that. My name's Sakura Tohsaka, and seeing as I've summoned you, I'm your Master in this war. Care to share your class and identity?"

"I suppose I should." The Servant said with a nod. "My class is Archer. As for who I am…sorry. But I just…can't seem…to remember…"

Sakura hummed and raised an eyebrow skeptically. She leaned closer to her Servant, Archer leaning back and taking care to meet her skeptical gaze. He smiled weakly, though there was something…unusual, there. In fact, there was more than one unusual thing about him, though she couldn't quite place it.

"Right," she said skeptically while leaning back. "Fine, keep your secrets for now. I guess if you don't share them with anyone there's less chance of people figuring out who you are. Though I do plan to find out sooner or later. Got that?"

"Got it."

"Good." Sakura said with a nod and beginning to pace around her workshop. "Honestly…what a mess…oh yes, one more thing. What's your wish for the Grail?"

"And what's yours?" Archer asked while stepping out of the circle and looking curiously around him.

Sakura glanced at him unhappily, and Archer smirked at her. "None." She said, and then it was her turn to smirk as Archer's smile fell.

"That's impossible." He said. "You can't be a Master without a wish for the Grail. That's the whole point behind the Holy Grail War. You have to have a wish."

"Subconsciously?" Sakura asked. "I probably do. But I'm not so stupid as to make a wish on something that's essentially a glorified monkey's paw. And wish or not, I automatically get command spells and with them a chance to join this war. It comes with being one of three families that set up this whole thing in the first place."

"And who are the other two?" Archer asked with narrowed eyes.

"Einzbern and Matou." Sakura said offhandedly.

"I guess we now know at least part of the names of two other Masters."

"Only one, actually."

"What?"

Sakura looked at Archer. "Matou died out during the Fourth Holy Grail War." She said. "The last member of their family who could use magic was killed during that war. His sons couldn't use magic, and neither could his grandson. They're still around, but they're not magi anymore. For which I'm thankful for."

"Well it is one less potential enemy…though that also means one additional unknown to deal with."

Sakura hummed in acknowledgement while fixing her papers. "Alright," she said, while placing the papers back into a receptacle on a shelf above her desk. "Come on, I'll show you around my house."

Archer smiled and gave a small bow. "After you, Master." He said.

* * *

Hours later, and Archer let himself fall into the living room couch with a sigh. "Your house is too big." He complained.

Sakura laughed at that. "Yeah, I know it is." She said. "Still, it's home…a lonely one at times, but it's still home for all that."

"You live alone I take it?" Archer gently asked.

"No," Sakura replied with a wave of her hand. "Mom is here, along with the maids and the cook. Oh, and the driver as well. They're just all asleep right now."

"…you're a rich girl."

Sakura sighed and sank down herself into an armchair opposite Archer's own. "Yeah, I am." She said. "And it's a massive pain in the neck. Duty this, duty that. Responsibility…expectations…yeah, I know it comes with wealth and status, and even if I had less of both, I'd still have responsibility and expectations to live up to. But…I wouldn't mind having only the latter to deal with…an ordinary person's obligations, you could say."

"Is that your wish for the Grail?"

Sakura laughed and sat back. "Maybe," she admitted after a moment. "But as I said…"

"Yeah, you're not stupid enough to make a wish on a glorified monkey's paw." Archer said with a nod. "I heard you the last time. So…you really are only in this war for duty and expectations' sakes, aren't you?"

Sakura didn't answer at once, but after several moments she looked away. "I'm also the Second Owner of this city." She said. "It's my job to keep anything supernatural that happens here under control. And with this war, plenty of magi will be coming here, all for a chance to get their hands on the Grail and have their wish granted."

Sakura sighed and leaned forward, rubbing her fingers against each other. "Magi tend to be greedy bastards." She said. "If it means getting what they want to get, ordinary people getting killed or worse is perfectly acceptable. I won't let that happen."

Sakura met Archer's eyes with a hard set to them and to her face. "Listen, Archer." She said. "I don't plan on letting some greedy bastard just slaughter their way to victory, like what happened during the third war some sixty years ago. Or for that matter, repeating whatever the hell happened ten years ago during the fourth war, when the Grail somehow malfunctioned and blew a large chunk of the city into ash. But! We'll do it right. No civilian casualties. Collateral damage will be kept to a minimum."

"But beyond that…?" Archer asked.

"We'll do what we have to do." Sakura answered. "And as much as I don't like to admit it, I'm a magus too. I was taught the same first lesson as they were: magi walk with death. So if they force our hands, we'll kill them without mercy."

Archer was silent for a few moments, staring only into his Master's eyes, and then he smiled. "I can work with your previous restrictions." He said. "In fact, I like to work cleanly myself."

Sakura smiled, the tense air which had built up over the past few minutes dissipating so quickly it was as though it was never even there in the first place. "Good," she said. "Maybe we are alike after all. And they say Masters and Servants resemble each other, don't they?"

Archer smiled wider. "So they say." He said while sitting back. "I guess we'll have to see if that's really the case with us."

"I guess we'll have to."

Smiling at each other, Master and Servant truly relaxed around each other for the first time since they met. For several moments they sat in silence, and then Archer spoke up. "So," he began. "What's your plan for this war?"

"Not a clue," Sakura answered honestly. "I mean really, how do you prepare for something like this?"

Archer sighed and rubbed his chin. "There's a point there." He said. "Not to mention you're what…seventeen? Sixteen-years old?"

"Sixteen…I'm sixteen-years old."

"So you are." Archer said with a nod before narrowing his eyes. "There's a lot of responsibility on you and at your age too. Too much, I'd say."

"Yeah, I know." Sakura said. "But what we want and what we get in life are rarely if ever one and the same thing."

"Hmm…that is true…so very true…"

Sakura looked surprised at that, both at the very bitter tone of voice it was delivered with, along with the veiled self-loathing that flashed over her Servant's face. "I…see…" she said with a cough. "Personal experience?"

"You could say that."

"I see. Sorry for bringing it up."

Archer waved it off. "It's alright." He said. "It won't get in the way of what needs to be done, on that you have my word."

Sakura nodded, and again silence fell over them. "We still have time to think up of something though." She eventually said. "Last time I checked, there were still a handful of slots left unfilled."

"Such as?" Archer asked.

"There was your spot." Sakura said. "There's also Saber and Assassin."

"I see." Archer said with a nod. "Two slots left then…assuming they aren't summoned tonight as in my case."

"Yup."

"Hmm…who's your source?"

"The overseer of the contest."

"Ah…I see. Fairly reliable then."

"In a way."

Archer raised an eyebrow, but Sakura refused to elaborate. Again, silence fell, until several minutes later and the clocks began to sound the hour. Sakura yawned as though prompted by the sound, which she probably was on a subconscious level, and she glanced once at the clock. "Huh…" she said. "It's really late, and I still have school later in the morning. Oh well, a couple of hours of sleep is better than none at all, so I better turn in."

"Of course," Archer said, getting to his feet along with his Master. "In that case, I shall stand watch outside."

"Oh?"

"This house is fairly tall." Archer said. "And I've got good eyesight. I'll tell you more about it later, along with what else I can do, but for now, suffice to say from this house's roof I should have a good vantage point to keep an eye out from."

"Stay in astral form, alright?" Sakura said. "Not just to conserve prana though that's not really a problem, but also to stay unnoticed."

"Of course I will."

"Good." Sakura said before walking away, a hand raised in farewell. "I'll see you later in the morning, Archer."

Archer smiled and nodded, even if his Master couldn't see it. "Indeed," he said. "See you later, and sleep well."

* * *

Archer stepped out onto the roof of the Tohsaka mansion, and took a deep breath of the cold night air. All around him, the suburbs of Fuyuki stretched out as far as the eye could see.

Raising a hand, Archer repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fist, and briefly concentrating, did similarly to his connection with his Master. His Master…

His memories were still blurred, but even so Archer couldn't help but feel…strange, about this whole situation. As though this wasn't how it should have gone, that there should be someone else standing behind him in this war, and that no one else should be in the mansion he'd be guarding every night from here on out.

_Not to mention they're potential targets for our enemies._

Still, far be it from him to not adapt and make the best of any situation he was in. His Master had plenty of prana, which was a good thing when all was said and done, and while she was clearly inexperienced as a magus, she seemed to be well-trained and had ample resources at her disposal.

_I'll just have to make up for her deficiencies, and we should be fine. She does seem to be the type to listen to advice, after all._

Nodding to himself in satisfaction, Archer reinforced his eyes before sweeping the horizon for threats, doing likewise with his spiritual senses. All around he could feel the Tohsaka bounded fields protecting both the mansion and its surrounding property, robust and solid, and again he nodded in satisfaction.

No enemies nearby, and the property was well-fortified…yes, they were off to a good start. Granted, they didn't quite know how to get to their end goal, but that could work to their advantage, potential enemies having nothing to predict of them and prepare for.

Though it also meant they couldn't take the initiative, which was a considerable disadvantage.

"_I guess now's a good time as any to think of a plan to work with._" Archer thought as he shifted into astral form, and sat down on the roof.

As the night passed him by, the Moon slipping down from the sky towards and then beneath the horizon, the velvet darkness above giving way to the pastel shades of the dawn as the Sun began to rise over the horizon, Archer just sat there. Part of his mind was focused on his surroundings for potential threats, the other part of it focused on the countless possible developments that could emerge over the following days, and how to best respond to them.

They'd have to be amended after taking into account the details of his Master's abilities, and those of their enemies, but as Archer sensed the staff bustle around inside, followed by his Master stirring, he smiled as he rose and phased down through the mansion and into its interior. Much still needed to be done, but they were in a better position now than they were in a few hours ago.

* * *

A/N

If you're expecting Rin Matou to show up as an enemy or just a background character, don't bother. Why? It will be revealed soon enough, unless you lot figure it out on your own.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 1

Thin beams of morning light lanced through the gaps in the curtains, and into the darkened room beyond. Sakura sat on her bed's edge, staring down at the faintly-glowing gem sitting in her hands, her thoughts going back the day she'd received it.

_"I leave it to you."_

_"Yes."_

_The large, expertly-cut ruby fell into the girl's hands, followed by its chain. The girl hugged both the gem and her father's journal to herself, and then giggled as her father placed his hand on her head and affectionately ruffled through her hair. And then he was gone, walking away down the road in the red light of the setting Sun, the winter wind blowing dust and leaves around them both._

_Even back then, she knew he would never come back._

"_Sakura,_" the girl remembered her father's words in the present day. "_Sooner or later, you will have your chance to win the Grail. And when that time comes, it is your duty as the heiress of the Tohsaka Clan to claim it._"

"Duty?" Sakura whispered while closing a hand over the gem and holding it tightly. "The same duty that led you to throw your life away for something as worthless as a monkey's paw? Humph…even back then…you never expected to survive, much less win, did you? You were always expecting to leave mom and me all alone…"

Sighing to herself, Sakura put the gem aside and got up while running a hand through her hair. Walking over to her dresser, she took a brush and began to untangle the knots in her hair, and then setting it down, leaned closer to her reflection. After a long moment, she glanced at the gem lying on her bed, and then back to her reflection.

"No." she whispered with a small shake of her head, and leaned back. "I won't die. Not like dad did…I might not win…but I won't die. I'll make sure of it."

Placing her hand against the mirror, her fingers glowed for a few moments, and then Sakura was walking away, towards her closet. Opening the doors, she picked out her clothes for the day, and then pulling out a bathrobe, put it on before taking her chosen clothes and leaving her bedroom for the nearest shower.

She had to go to school for the day, after all.

* * *

"Bad night?" Aoi Tohsaka asked, while setting down her teacup on its saucer.

"Hmm…" Sakura hummed while sitting down opposite her mother, already dressed in her school uniform. "Dreams more like."

"What kind?"

"…the last time I saw dad alive."

"Oh."

Aoi fell silent at that, while Sakura poured some coffee for herself, and added milk and sugar. Archer raised an eyebrow at the sight, and after a moment Sakura glanced in his direction. She took a drink of her coffee, and then glanced Archer's way again. An amused smile crossed her face.

"Joining us for breakfast, Archer?" she asked.

Archer smiled. "Your mother invited me." He said, also nursing a cup of tea himself. "How could I say no?"

"Indeed."

Silence fell broken only by the tinkling of silver against china, and then Sakura noticed Archer looking covertly at the maids standing against a nearby wall. "They know." She said.

"Isn't that something of a risk?" Archer asked.

"Just by living and working in a magi household they're already risking their lives." Sakura countered. "If that's the case, then they have the right to know what they're signing up for."

"How does that work?" Archer asked.

"I offered them the chance to just walk away." Sakura said. "Told them my family business could get dangerous, deadly so. A few walked away. Those that stayed were told about magic, and that they could always back out if they wanted to, though I would have to alter their memories if they did. Even so…"

Sakura paused and nodded with a smile at her family's servants, who bowed with smiles of their own. "They stayed." She said. "I trust them with my family's secrets, and they trust me to keep them safe."

"Is your magecraft really that dangerous?" Archer asked dubiously.

"If the stockpile of gems kept under the house ever got set off all at once," Sakura dryly said. "It's equivalent to setting off one of those bombs the Americans used to end World War II with."

"Nice…real nice…we're sitting on top of a magic nuke." Archer sarcastically remarked.

Aoi looked really troubled at that, though Sakura and her maids just looked amused. One of the latter even giggled. "Relax," Sakura said. "Just because it _might _happen, it doesn't mean that it will. I have ways to keep things safe, you know?"

"Hmm…alright, I'll trust you."

Sakura nodded, and returned to her breakfast: smoked ham and sausage, egg mash, freshly-baked bread and fruit pastry. It was a Western-style breakfast, rich and heavy, providing lots of calories for what was assumed to be a long morning ahead.

"So," Archer said while replacing his teacup on a saucer. "What's the plan for today?"

"I have school to attend to." Sakura answered after swallowing a mouthful of egg mash. "And club activities afterwards."

"And then?"

"We'll go around the city afterwards." Sakura continued. "That should give you a feel for the city's layout. Speaking of which…we'll be back late tonight, mom. You don't need to wait for us for dinner. We'll just heat up something when we get home."

Aoi paused eating, and then nodded. "Alright," she said. "Just stay safe, understand?"

Sakura nodded. "We will." She said.

"Hmm…" Archer hummed. "It's not a bad idea, getting a feel for the city's layout. But, walking around might take too long, and isn't really the best way for me to do that."

"Oh?" Sakura asked with narrowed eyes. "And you have a better idea, Archer? If you do, I'm all ears."

Archer paused, and then smirked at his Master. "I do." He said. "But I think I'll share it with you later. For now, I'll only ask this: later this evening, take me to the highest spot in the city. Then I'll share my idea in full with you."

Sakura laughed. "How dramatic," she said, folding her hands in front of her while leaning forward. "Alright, I'll humor you. I hope it's a good idea, though."

"I'm sure you'll see that it is."

* * *

Archer looked on with an air of bemusement as Sakura strapped armor onto herself. Shin guards, knee guards, arm guards, elbow guards, and a helmet. All matte black with the exception of the knee and elbow guards, which had hazard stripes painted on, and then eyebrows rose as with a flicker of prana, Sakura's outdoor shoes extended small wheels beneath.

Sakura glanced at Archer and tilted her head quizzically at his bemused expression. "What?" she asked.

"You look like you're playing at being an elementary school student."

Sakura grit her teeth at that. "Shut up." She snapped. "I don't tell you how to live your life, do I?"

"…guess you don't."

"Good."

Sakura smiled at that, and in that instant, Archer saw a half-forgotten memory superimposed over her visage, that of a woman who had loved him but who he didn't save. How could he have? He didn't know…not until it was too late.

_And I never tried to know._

_All I could do was mourn when the fact was done._

"Archer…Archer…Archer…!"

Archer blinked as he was jolted out of his stroll down memory lane, both by Sakura's voice and the snapping of her fingers in front of his face. "What's with you, spacing out for like that?" she asked.

"No," Archer said with a cough. "It's nothing."

"Oh really?"

"Yes…nothing important…just an old regret resurfacing, that's all."

Sakura raised an eyebrow at that, but then she shrugged. "Okay," she said while putting her backpack on, and then opening the door. "Whatever you say. Come on, let's go."

Archer nodded and vanished into astral form, and then shouting that she was leaving, Sakura rolled out of the front doors, across the yard, and then out the gates. Turning the tight corner with ease born of experience, she then rolled down the sidewalk, zigzagging as she went.

"_That's cheating._" Archer accused.

"_What is?_" Sakura said.

"_You're using magic._"

"_No, I'm not! The enchantments on my shoes are only so I can store my wheels better, otherwise everything is just pure skill!_"

"_Really?_"

"_Yes, really!_"

"_Alright then._"

Sniffing at the tone of her Servant's voice, Sakura tuned him out, and just focused on getting to her school.

* * *

"Good morning, Emiya."

"Good morning, Mitsuzuri."

Shirou Emiya and Ayako Mitsuzuri traded greetings as they arrived at the gates of Homurahara Academy. "So," Shirou began while he and Ayako walked leisurely through the gates, and then began to cross the quadrangle towards the main school building. "How are things over at the _kyuudo _team?"

"We're doing fine." Ayako said. "We'd do better with you around, though."

Shirou laughed weakly at that. "I know." He said while rubbing his head. "But, I just don't think that I…"

"Yeah, yeah," Ayako interrupted with a good natured sigh. "I know what you're going to say. You don't think you can really contribute much to the rest of the team, especially with Shinji and me present."

"Speaking of which, how's Shinji doing?" Shirou asked. "I haven't seen him around much lately."

"That depends…do you want my personal, or my professional opinion?"

"Uh…both, and in that order."

Ayako leaned closer, her eyes like flint. "The guy is a shameless flirt." She snapped. "No, worse than that, he's a playboy. And the worst part is I don't know if most girls are just too stupid to fall for his charms like they seem to, or if they're just in it for his money. Damn rich kids…"

"And your…um…professional, opinion?"

"He's the best archer we've got." Ayako said with a sigh. "Unless you rejoin the team, Emiya. No, don't say it. I know you don't think very highly of your own skills, but you're at least as good as me and Shinji are. At least I think so, and if asked, I'm sure he'd say the same. But going back to Shinji…while he's rather harsh on any newcomers, I can see it's because he really thinks highly of the sport. Do it right or don't do it at all."

"Tough love, huh?"

Ayako sighed again. "Yeah, I guess so." She said. "If they can prove they're serious, he's a good teacher to the newcomers. And the clubroom's one place where he doesn't act like a playboy. Boy or girl, you have to be serious."

"…no one's perfect." Shirou said with a shrug.

Ayako just hummed unhappily. "Guess so." She said.

And then both she and Shirou were turning as the sound of wheels against concrete, and saw Sakura Tohsaka from the grade below them rolling through the gates and then across the quadrangle. "Morning, sempai." She greeted them, turning to roll backwards as she passed them by, and lifting a hand in greeting.

"Morning, Tohsaka." Ayako returned the greeting with a wave, Shirou doing likewise. "Speaking of rich kids…there goes another one."

"So…who was that?" Shirou asked.

"Sakura Tohsaka," Ayako said. "She's one grade below us, though with top-level scores all around. And as I said, rich kid."

"She doesn't seem like Shinji though…apart from that whole…huh, now that I think about it, I have seen her before…"

"You mean you've seen her roller-blading her way into the school." Ayako said. "Yeah, she's pretty infamous about that."

And then she paused, and actually laughed. "What's so funny?" Shirou asked.

Ayako paused, and forcing Shirou to do likewise, the two of them standing just before the entrance to the main building. "Ryuudo tried to tell her off a while back." She said, still giggling. "She just asked him if there was a rule saying she couldn't roller-blade to and from school."

"Is there?" Shirou asked as they resumed walking into the school.

"No," Ayako said, still giggling. "Of course, as you know about Ryuudo he's not the kind to give up on making things – and people – fit his conventional view of how school should be if he can."

"So what did he do?" Shirou asked with a sinking feeling.

"He gave her a cease and desist form with signatures from the entire Student Council." Ayako answered. "Officially, it's because Tohsaka's style is childish and undignified, and reflects badly on the school."

"Wait…this is starting to sound familiar." Shirou said with a dawning expression of comprehension on his face. "I think Issei mentioned this before. Something about how he and the rest of the council got dragged into an inquiry from the PTA?"

Ayako burst out laughing again. "Yeah, it was!" she said with a face-splitting grin. "Tohsaka's mom is the PTA President, you see. And she questioned why her daughter was being asked to stop when she's not breaking any school rules, or doing anything actually inappropriate. She was just being…creative, about expressing her athletic skill, wasn't she? Add in Ryuudo's own known bias against non-academic activities, and the other parents started seeing how he seemed to be clamping down on…what did they call it? Creative activity?"

"He got told to take a step back." Shirou said with a sigh. "Yeah, I remember it now. He was really sour about that, about how all his efforts to make the school an orderly place was unappreciated and why he even bothered."

Ayako snorted. "And yet he's still council chairman." She said. "Anyway, enough about that, and let's just finish with that he really needs to loosen up."

Shirou snorted in a good natured way. "Well, I agree but…" he said while scratching his head. "It's _Issei_. I'm not really sure if he _can _loosen up."

"Maybe he should get a girlfriend," Ayako said while sitting on a bench and untying her shoelaces. "Or…assuming the rumors are true, a _boyfriend _even."

Shirou looked unnerved, and he coughed once to recover his composure. "Yeah, let's talk about something else." He said, and Ayako laughed again.

* * *

"So, how does it look?"

Shirou looked up from where he was going through his tools, and laughed weakly to cover up looking away at the reminder of his and Ayako's talk about Issei Ryuudo just a few minutes ago. "Yeah," he said. "I'll see what I can do. Nothing seems like it's been burned out from the outside, and I don't hear anything loose or broken when I shake it, so it's probably nothing serious."

"I see." Issei said while pushing up his glasses, and then he smiled. "Then, I'll leave it to you, Emiya. If we can fix the water heater, then all the better. Buying a new one will leave a dent in our budget, and money's been tight lately."

"Hmm, I suppose it has." Shirou said. "Anyway, I'll get right to work on it, and hopefully finish before morning class starts. That said, do you mind giving me some privacy? No offense, but I work better without someone hovering around."

Issei hummed and then nodded in understanding. "Yes, of course." He said, while turning to the door. "I imagine it's delicate work. Very well, I'll go and avoid distracting you."

"Thanks, Issei."

"You're welcome, Emiya."

Shirou waited until Issei had gone and closed the door behind him, before turning to the malfunctioning water heater nearby. "_Delicate work?_" he mentally echoed. "_I guess you could call it that._"

Pressing his fingers against the heater's surface, Shirou closed his eyes. "Trace, on." He murmured, before feeling the familiar burn of his magic circuits, like hot metal being stabbed into a nerve. At the same time, in his mind's eye he could see a wireframe diagram of the water heater, and quickly saw the ugly red part where a disconnected component was keeping it from functioning.

"_I suppose I could put it back in place with some electrical tape,_" Shirou thought. "_Though it's not going to last for much longer. They'll have to buy a new water heater soon…but no reason to give up on this one until it's given its all._"

Shirou opened his eyes with a smile, the burning of his magic circuits fading away into numbness which then faded away in turn. Rummaging through his tools once more, Shirou pulled out a screwdriver, and opening the water heater, got to work.

* * *

"How are you doing?" Sakura asked, stepping into the empty expanse of the rooftop level during lunchbreak.

"Fine, thank you." Archer said, materializing behind her and closing the door.

"Really?"

"…if you want me to be honest, I am bored. But better that than starting and fighting a battle in broad daylight."

Sakura laughed and nodded. "Quite," she said, before stretching her limbs and walking over to a corner. Slumping down to sit on the floor, she pulled out a _bento_ box and offered it to Archer. "Here, I got you one as well."

"Thanks…though it's not really necessary."

"You know it's rude to turn away food offered in good faith, right?"

Archer smiled slightly, before accepting the offered _bento_ box. "My apologies," he said. "Thank you for the meal."

"The cafeteria's got good food," Sakura said, opening her own _bento _box and beginning to eat. "Nothing fancy, but it's filling."

"So it is."

Master and Servant ate in silence, only the sound of birds flying by every so often and the breeze blowing around them to be heard. The Sun beat down from overhead, but thanks to the breeze it wasn't actually hot, balancing out as it did the cold of the breeze.

"Do you usually eat alone like this?" Archer asked as he closed his empty _bento _box.

Sakura hummed while pulling out a pair of cans of iced coffee, and tossed one to Archer. "No," she said. "I usually eat with friends. But today, I told them I had some things to think about."

"They didn't find it suspicious?" Archer asked. "Or did you use magic to make them not suspicious?"

Sakura shot him an unhappy look, and Archer smiled and shrugged apologetically. "Of course I didn't use magic on them." She said before taking a drink. "And no, they didn't find it suspicious. Everyone needs some space once in a while,"

"Yes, they do."

"And there you go."

"Sounds like you've got good friends."

Sakura closed her eyes with a smile, before getting up. Stretching her limbs again, she walked over to the safety railing, and then leaned against it, looking out from the rooftop across the suburbs and then to the countryside barely visible beyond. "Guess I do." She said.

* * *

"Well?" Sakura said into the phone, surrounded by a simple bounded field to keep anyone from overhearing, along with Archer standing guard in astral form. "I've summoned my Servant, how about the others?"

"I assume then that yours is the Archer Class?" Kirei Kotomine answered over the phone.

"Yes."

"I see." Kirei said. "Then the only ones left are Saber and Assassin. And I imagine it won't be long before they're summoned as well. And once they are, the Fifth Holy Grail War can begin in earnest."

"…I'm still not sure about this." Sakura said after a moment.

"Yes," Kirei said with a veiled, long-suffering tone. "I remember all your past remarks about the Holy Grail, with its purported ability to grant wishes so long as they do not trespass into the realms of True Magic, as something akin to a monkey's paw. And as I've told you each and every time, so long as you completely understand what it is you wish for, have thoroughly looked into each and every last one of its possible aspects and interpretations, then there should be no problems. In short, your mind will make it real. So think carefully."

"…it's not just that." Sakura said with a sigh. "There's also the fact that the Fifth Holy Grail War is happening only ten years after the Fourth Holy Grail War."

"…what of it?"

"Kirei," Sakura began. "You know as well as I do that the fifty year intervals between wars is necessary to collect the prana needed to perform the Grand Ritual behind the contest. Right now, there should only be a fifth of what's necessary…except there's enough for it. And while I'm not the perfect magus, I know enough that when Grand Rituals start deviating from their specifications, something is very wrong."

"Ah…I see." Kirei said slowly. "Yes…that much is true. However, I have already looked into it."

"Really?"

"Yes," Kirei said with a chuckle. "Have I ever lied to you before?"

"…no, you haven't."

"Then there you go." He said. "Apparently, when the Grail malfunctioned during the previous contest ten years ago, only a portion of what had been stored by its vessel was…ignited, resulting in as you know, the Great Fire. The rest…"

"The rest flooded back into the Grail system, which is why the contest started early." Sakura completed with a sigh.

"There, you see?" Kirei asked smugly. "No need to worry."

"…I'm not so sure about that." Sakura said. "I still think we're taking a huge risk with this. Even if we know the 'why', it's still a matter of fact that the Grand Ritual is deviating from its specifications, and that is very dangerous. In fact, just the 'why' alone is making me worry…especially since we already know the Grail has malfunctioned once before. How sure are we it won't happen again?"

"Because its systems are functioning as it should according to the mysteries granted to me to oversee the contest?" Kirei answered. "And all of my inquiries into its functions are being met with obedience by its component mysteries? You worry too much, child."

"And you worry too little." Sakura snapped, annoyed at the priest's nonchalance.

"In any case it is too late." Kirei said, and Sakura could all but see him shrug. It made her blood boil. "The contest has already begun. Five out of seven Servants have already been summoned, and with their Masters are already here in Fuyuki. There is no stopping this."

"…on your head be it should this thing blow up in all our faces, Kirei." Sakura snarled.

"…so be it." Kirei said after a moment. "Indeed, if you wish, I can provide such in writing."

"Do that." Sakura snapped. "And in quadruplicate."

"Quadruplicate?" Kirei asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes," Sakura said. "I'll pick my copy up tomorrow. Send one each to the Clock Tower and to the Archdiocese of Tokyo, and keep one for yourself."

Without waiting for a reply, she put the phone down, and with a gesture, dispelled the bounded field. "_Something to say?_" she asked her Servant.

"_No._"

"_Good._"

Without further word, Sakura stormed off, to where the rest of the cooking club were already busy bringing out and preparing their ingredients.

* * *

"Have you calmed down yet?"

"Yeah, sorry about that."

Sakura and Archer stood on top of the tallest skyscraper in the city. From this vantage point, they looked out across the vast expanse of Fuyuki, the ground as far as the eye could see shining with the lights of a city in the night, and then fading into the glimmering twilight of the suburbs, and in the far distance, barely visible only thanks to reinforcement, the darkness of the countryside beyond the suburbs.

At least, that was Sakura's limitation.

"No need to apologize." Archer graciously said next to her. "I heard what you were saying, and I must admit, you put forward good arguments with regard to the safety of the contest."

"And? What do you think?"

"At present," Archer said with a sigh. "Nothing seems to be going wrong. But I'll keep an eye out. And when or if things start to go wrong, rest assured, I have your back."

"And then what?"

"We'll do what we must." Archer said with another sigh. "Stopping the contest could work as a solution, but very difficult to implement. That said, if you could tell me more about how the malfunction of the previous war happened, I might be able to figure out a solution."

"The vessel for the Grail's energies somehow failed to contain it." Sakura immediately answered. "Why? Nobody knows, just that it did, and the result was a fire that burned a third of the city down, and caused countless deaths and injuries."

"Is that so?" Archer said while stroking his chin. "Well, if nothing else, we can always take the vessel away if it malfunctions again, and bring it somewhere where an explosion won't cause too much damage."

"Like where?"

"How about out to sea?"

Sakura glanced at Archer, and he glanced at her. "Sounds like a suicide mission to me." She said, while turning back to the city. "One-way trip, no way to get out of the blast radius in time."

"Hmm…sounds a lot like what I used to do in life."

"Well now," Sakura said with a laugh. "Aren't you somebody?"

"Indeed I am." Archer said with a laugh of his own. "I'm not surprised you doubt me. After all, I haven't told you much about me. But this I can tell you: the time for doubts is over. At this rate, all they'll do is hold you back, and get you killed. And seeing as I have no interest in a philosophical discussion at this time, let me offer this to put your doubts about me to rest."

Archer paused and looked into the distance, and after a few moments, smiled. "I can't quite see the nearest city to here," he said. "But I can tell you that I count about a quarter of a million rivets on that bridge over there, and those are only the ones I can see."

"Seriously?"

Archer placed an arm around Sakura's waist, and smirking, Master and Servant leapt off the skyscraper together, soaring across the skyline from one building to the next. And as they flew through the night sky, Sakura snickered. "Taking me sky jumping in such a way," she remarked. "You really are something else, aren't you?"

"And you aren't?" Archer asked back. "The sixteen-year old who goes to and from school as though she were only ten?"

"Fifteen, actually."

"What?"

"I'm only fifteen according to the law."

"…I see." Archer said with a laugh. "You count your years based on New Year's Day? You really are something else, aren't you?"

"I guess I am…just like you are."

"Yes," Archer said with a laugh. "Maybe we do resemble each other after all, Sakura."

* * *

A/N

Well, we've got Shirou and Ayako, plus mentions of Shinji. Kirei also makes an appearance (over the phone), and manages to piss Sakura off (just like he tends to piss Rin off in canon). As the old saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 2

The Sun shone through patches of fluffy white clouds, drifting lazily through the sky in the morning. It shone down on the skyscrapers stabbing up into the sky, at the vehicles and people thronging through the streets in between, and over the neat patchworks of homes and greenery in the suburbs. It shone down on a church standing on an elevated position, and on a black Toyota quietly rumbling its way up the street, and slowing to a halt before the stairway leading up.

A door opened and Sakura stepped out. Leaning back inside, she addressed her driver. "Go around," she said, adding a circular gesture with one finger. "This shouldn't take too long I only need to get some things."

"Yes, Miss Sakura." The driver replied.

Straightening up, Sakura then closed the door, and looked on as the car drove away. Taking a deep breath, she then turned and climbed up the staircase. Making her way across the tree-lined, stone courtyard above, she opened the big, wooden doors leading into Kotomine Church, and narrowed her eyes at the priest attending to his altar and its reliquary.

Kirei turned in her direction, and bowing once at the crucifix made his way around the altar to meet Sakura as she walked down the aisle. "Morning services are concluded," he began. "Though I don't imagine you are here for that."

"No, I'm not." Sakura said. "I'm here for my papers, Kirei."

Kirei stared. Sakura stared back. Kirei sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You were serious about yesterday's demand for a waiver in quadruplicate?" he asked.

"Yes, I was." Sakura snapped with narrowed eyes. "And let me guess, you thought I was joking, or shooting my mouth off in irritation. No, I was neither, and I want that waiver, Kirei."

"It's not necessary…"

"I think it is." Sakura interrupted. "I am the Second Owner of this city. It's my job to make sure that anything supernatural that goes on around here does so _without _causing trouble, and when and how I do it is entirely up to me. And I say my job applies here, and I want those waivers."

"It is the Fifth Holy Grail War." Kirei said with a sigh. "Your position is suspended."

"My authority might be," Sakura agreed. "But my responsibility is not. If this…contest, blows up in all our faces, who do you think will be held responsible for it?"

"I would be." Kirei said at once. "Did you forget that I am the Overseer of the contest?"

"Those are just words!" Sakura shot back. "And you will only be held responsible to the Holy Church! The Association will want its pound of flesh, and it's my neck that will be on the line!"

"And yet, here you are." Kirei said with a smile. "Even though disaster struck at the end of the last contest, proof that you will not be held responsible for any…misfortune, that should befall as a result of this contest."

"You know as well as I do that that's only because I was a child at the time." Sakura said. "And my father had died during the war. Had the latter not been the case, things would have been very different. He'd have been held responsible for not making sure the Grail had not developed any faults during the past fifty years between the third and fourth wars."

"Perhaps," Kirei conceded. "But going by your reasoning, given you're only fifteen and thus cannot truly have been expected to ensure the Grail's proper functioning over the past ten years, even _if _something goes wrong again this time around, you need not worry about any responsibility being placed on you."

"So you say." Sakura said while folding her arms. "But as I said, those are just words. I want it in writing, Kirei. That you were solely responsible for the Grail's upkeep during the past ten years, that you certify it is functioning safely and as it should for this contest, and that if anything goes wrong like it did in the last war, you and you alone are responsible. And I want them in quadruplicate, for impartiality's sake."

Kirei silently stared at Sakura with an unreadable expression on his face, but it was a stare that Sakura met in full, unflinching and unwavering. It was a contest of wills, between a magus and a priest, a girl on the cusp of womanhood and a man old enough to be her father, but in the end it was Kirei who gave way first, and with a sigh.

"Very well," he said with the air of a man being put through something he found unnecessarily troublesome. "I shall prepare the documents you want. Come by this evening, and I shall give three of them to you."

"Three?" Sakura echoed suspiciously.

"Yes, three." Kirei said with a nod. "I shall keep one for myself, and in order to satisfy your own suspicions, I shall allow you to mail two of the remaining copies yourself to the Clock Tower and to my superiors."

"That is…acceptable." Sakura said with a nod.

Kirei nodded back. "If that is all," he said. "You may go. You wouldn't want to be late for school, would you?"

"Guess I don't." Sakura said, already turning away. "I'll be seeing you later, Kirei."

"No doubt."

* * *

Sakura had hoped the rest of the day would go by quietly. After all, the contest had yet to properly begin, what with there still being two more Servants that needed to be summoned. But sadly, that was not to be the case.

"_Archer,_" Sakura began, while sitting in class during a lecture. "_Can you feel that?_"

"_Yeah,_" he replied. "_I can feel it. Definitely a Servant, but which one I don't know. He doesn't seem like he's going to attack soon, but that's only to be expected since it's the middle of the day. But once the opportunity comes, well, I'm sure you're thinking what I'm thinking._"

"_Yeah,_" Sakura unhappily agreed. "_I guess I am. Damn greedy magi…the contest isn't even supposed to start yet, but they're already picking fights._"

"_Hmm…not just this one, but others too. Did you hear the news this morning?_" Archer asked.

"_The one over the car radio while on the way back from Kotomine Church?_" Sakura asked. "_Those so-called gas leaks and killings?_"

"_Yes._"

"_I suspected they were Servant attacks._" Sakura mentally snarled. "_Damn greedy magi again…not only are they moving before they're supposed to they're even targeting innocent civilians._"

"_As you say._"

"_…the one here at school aside,_" Sakura began. "_How many Servants do you think are we dealing with attacking civilians?_"

"_At least one, though you probably already know that._" Archer replied. "_But I think we're dealing with two, maybe three._"

"_And your reasoning?_"

"_The modus operandi are too different from each other._" Archer explained. "_The one behind the supposed gas leaks doesn't actually kill people, they just knock them unconscious before draining their life force, and even then they stop before really putting the victims' lives at risk. I know, I know, it doesn't really change anything, but it has to be pointed out. That Servant also seems to target apartment complexes, and other residential areas with lots of people, but without much attention._"

"_And the others?_"

"_The second one is the most worrying._" Archer continued. "_They targeted night clubs and bars, in short very public places. Not only that, but the way the people inside were killed…it speaks of a certain kind of indiscriminate brutality. Whoever that Servant is, they're a nasty sort._"

"_And the third one?_"

"_This one might be the least worrying._" Archer said. "_Like the first Servant, they went after targets that wouldn't really draw attention, at least for a while. And given how no other similar crime scenes were found with the same kind of modus operandi, this might just be a one-time power up. For now, that is…and again, it doesn't really excuse what's been done. Killing a whole family in their own home, and at dinner no less…it's sick._"

"_Yeah, it is._" Sakura agreed.

"_…what do you plan to do?_" Archer asked after a moment.

"_We'll have to put a stop to them all._" Sakura answered at once. "_But trying to take them all on at the same time is going to be a waste of time. Unfortunately, that means we'll have to take them out one at a time._"

"_Prioritization, huh?_"

"_Who do you think we should go after first?_" Sakura asked.

"_This guy hovering over us should be._" Archer cheekily said. "_As for the three in question…the second is the most worrying. They seem to be the most brutal, and the one who risks exposing all this to the world the most. After that…we'll see._"

"_We'll see?_" Sakura echoed incredulously.

"_If the third Servant repeats his killings,_" Archer replied. "_Then he should be our next target. Again, the first Servant at least doesn't kill. Though if that changes…_"

"_Yeah, I see your point._" Sakura conceded. "_Alright, we'll do as you say. But first, let's get this annoyance off our backs._"

"_I completely agree._"

* * *

The hovering Servant aside, the rest of the day did go by quietly. Nothing untoward happened during both morning and afternoon classes, or during the various breaks over the day, or even during club activities. At least, that's what Sakura knew.

Though technically-speaking, it wasn't actually things going wrong, just…a lead-up, to something going wrong _later_. And it would start in the period set for club activities, and in the Student Council's meeting room.

"What do you think?" Issei asked. "It's been acting up for a while now, and it seems to have finally given up."

"You know Issei," Shirou said while looking away from the old TV he'd been called in to fix. "Even I can't bring the dead back to life."

"It's no good, huh?"

"…Issei, can you get my toolbox?"

"Then…!"

Shirou winked and smiled at his friend. "It's too soon for this to die." He said.

"Oh, thank you very much!"

And from there it continued to progress. Years later, when Shirou and Sakura looked back to this day, the latter would describe it as watching a train wreck in progress…in slow motion. Shirou would protest…until Sakura pointed out that the conclusion nearly ended with him buying the farm.

"What happened?" Shirou asked, running over at the sight and sound of a commotion near the _kyuudo _building.

Shinji Matou looked up from where he was helping one of his teammates into a newly-arrived ambulance. "Oh, Emiya," he said in recognition. "Katagiri here had a bad fall, and twisted his ankle. Could just be a sprain, but it looks a bit too serious."

"So you're taking him to the hospital?" Shirou asked.

"Hey, I'm vice-captain." Shinji said with a shrug. "I'm responsible for this…especially since Ayako and Miss Fujimura aren't present."

"What happened to them?"

"One of our teammates decided to skip out on practice today." Shinji sourly said. "Decided to go home early…or so it seemed. Turned out she went to see her…boyfriend, and was caught shoplifting. So as you can imagine, Ayako and Miss Fujimura had to go pay a visit to the police station. Little sneak…if she comes back, I'm going to run her out of the team."

"…t-t-that's a bit much, isn't it?"

"Either you respect the team and what we practice, or you get the fuck out." Shinji firmly retorted, and Shirou sighed.

"Yeah, that sounds like you, Shinji."

Shirou then looked on in silence as Shinji and the ambulance staff helped the underclassman named Katagiri into the ambulance, followed by them boarding the vehicle. "You girls meet us at the hospital." Shinji said.

"But vice-captain," one of the _kyuudo _girls began. "The clubroom still needs to be cleaned, and you have the keys, so…"

Without a word, Shinji pulled out the keys and tossed them to Shirou. "I'll owe you one, Emiya." He said with a grin, winking as the ambulance doors closed.

Shirou raised an eyebrow and then smiled and laughed. "Guess you do." He said, pocketing the keys. He then turned to the wary-looking _kyuudo _girls. "Don't worry, I'll take of it. You can all go the hospital and see Shinji and your friend."

"But…" one of them began.

"It's alright, really." Shirou said with a smile. "It's no trouble at all. And if anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility."

"Well, alright then…"

"We'll just get our stuff."

Shirou nodded, and just looked on as the girls rushed back inside to get their things. He waited for them to leave, and regarded the orange skies above as he did so. And once they'd left, he went inside to begin to clean.

* * *

The Moon shone bright and high in the night sky, and then the door leading into the rooftop level opened to allow a schoolgirl through. She stepped out into the open, and looked around her. "Archer?" she asked.

A moment later and the Servant materialized beside her. "Do you see anything?" she asked. "We have the high ground."

"Do you now, little girl?"

"What?" Sakura snapped, whirling and then looking up. "Oh shit…"

There, standing above the blockhouse, there was a tall and grinning man, wearing only a skintight suit of blue and silver. Immediately, Archer stepped protectively in front of Sakura.

"With that friend of yours," the other Servant began. "I'm sure you know what I am. And what this meeting between us means."

Archer tensed but Sakura mentally ordered him to wait. "What's your Master planning?" she demanded. "There are still Servants left to summon, so none of us are supposed to begin fighting yet."

"True…" the other Servant agreed. "But I guess that means my Master doesn't have much regard for the rules, does it?"

There was a flash of red light, and the other Servant – Lancer – brandished his weapon. "_Sakura,_" Archer mentally asked. "_Now what?_"

"_…I'm thinking the high ground isn't very useful now, even for an Archer like you._" Sakura mentally growled. "_Not when the enemy is this close. What do you think?_"

"_I agree._" Archer responded. "_And we should also open up the battlefield, get room to maneuver in. We wouldn't want to get cornered, would we?_"

"_No, we wouldn't._"

At that thought, Sakura poured prana into her circuits, and reinforced her legs. Leaping back, she jumped on the railings, and then back and down, towards the ground. "Archer, the landing…!" she shouted.

"Understood!" he said, a red and black blur catching up to her, and catching her with his arms, landed them both with the sound of breaking concrete.

"Thanks…now move!" Sakura said as she jumped down and ran across the quadrangle. Then there was a blur of blue and silver, and Lancer was there. Sakura jumped back, and Archer positioned himself in front of her.

"Trying to run away?" Lancer taunted.

"Not really," Sakura said. "Just needed more room."

"Is that right?" Lancer asked with a grin.

There was a moment of silence, and then Archer slightly lowered his head. "Your orders, Sakura?" he asked.

"…can't be helped." Sakura said after a moment. "Take him out!"

Without a word, Archer traced a pair of Chinese scimitars, one with a blade and hilt black as coal, the other with a blade and hilt as white as snow. In the next moment he leapt forward, a blur of red and black in the light of the Moon.

"An Archer fighting like a Saber?" Lancer sneered as he leapt to meet Archer's charge, a blur of blue in the night. "Don't joke around!"

The crimson spear stabbed forward, only to be caught between the two scimitars and turned upward. Undeterred, Lancer pressed the attack, his spear turning in an arc before stabbing at Archer again.

Archer parried with one sword, before charging forward and swinging his other sword at Lancer. Lancer jumped back, also pulling his spear back before stabbing fast and hard several times. Archer parried all the blows, and again charged in close after parrying the last blow, and swung twice at Lancer.

Lancer again jumped back, and then swinging his spear in a broad arc, struck with the edge and not the point of his spear. A second swing followed, in the opposite direction from the previous one, again parried by Archer, who then charged forward.

The spear stabbed forward and down, allowing Lancer to use it vault over a surprised Archer. Landing behind him, Lancer now stabbed at Archer's back, but the other Servant was already turning, a sword rising to parry successfully.

Another stab knocked the other sword from Archer's hand, and forcing Archer to jump back, Lancer in quick pursuit. In response, Archer hurled his last remaining sword in a black blur at Lancer, who swatted it aside with a sneer…before his eyes went wide, as he saw Archer charging at him, with _both _scimitars in his hands.

Crossing both blades in front of him, Archer then uncrossed them and striking sparks from Lancer's spear threw Lancer back. Then keeping close, to prevent Lancer from taking advantage of his weapon's longer reach, he struck twice with one sword, up diagonally from the hip to the left shoulder, and then back down.

And then he stabbed forward and down to the right with his other sword, and then swung up and to the left, with enough force to throw Lancer to one side and away from Sakura with a cry. Determined to retain the initiative, Archer charged in again, swords crossed, and uncrossing them sent more sparks flying as Lancer parried with his spear.

Lancer skidded back into a crouch, Archer hot in pursuit. "You're pretty good." Lancer said grudgingly before unexpectedly jumping forward, spear held low and stabbing forward as he got in close.

Archer dodged to one side, pivoting to strike at Lancer's back. Likewise, Lancer twisted his body, and narrowly avoiding the strike to his back stabbed at Archer's side. Archer turned the attack, but again Lancer twisted his body, the spear arcing out to strike at Archer's head.

Archer was forced to give ground to avoid taking a hit, and Lancer jumped into a stance before leaping forward to counterattack. A lightning-fast barrage of stabs was blocked, before a pair of swings tore both swords clear of Archer's hands.

With a roar, Lancer stabbed in, seemingly-seeking to carve Archer's heart from his chest. Archer again gave ground, both swords rematerializing in his hands, and parrying a feint, riposted the real attack, striking in at Lancer's torso.

Lancer dodged and counterattacked, Archer again parrying and counterattacking himself. "Hey, who are you?" Lancer asked with a smile as he charged. "I've never heard of an Archer with two swords before."

"Who knows?" Archer replied, dodging to one side before charging in with swords low and striking upward at Lancer's flank. Lancer jumped back, striking down to knock Archer's swords away before stabbing forward and forcing Archer to jump back.

"You're fairly recognizable though." Archer said, clearly unfazed as he jumped back with Lancer on his heels. "There aren't that many Lancers as good as you."

Light flashed as Archer's swords rematerialized in his hands, and swinging them up turned Lancer's attack away.

* * *

The sound of steel against steel from outside drew Shirou's attention, the boy letting go of the rag he was using to wipe the floor and getting up, rushed outside to see what was going on. His eyes widened in shock at the sight that met him just a few steps outside the _kyuudo _building's door.

Two strangely-dressed men – including one in blue _spandex _of all things – were fighting each other in the school quadrangle. One with a pair of swords, one black and the other white, while the other had a red spear.

The speed and force of their battle was incredible. They were blurs through the air, one blue and silver, the other red and black, visible only in full whenever their weapons met and their momentum was forced to a halt. The impact of their weapons was enough at the high end to displace the surrounding air, and at the low end to send sparks flying as steel ground against steel.

_What's going on here?_

_Who are they?_

_Why are they fighting?_

_And more than that…_**_what_**_ are they? Magi? Or something else supernatural? Ordinary people can't fight like that!_

Shirou blinked, and saw as the man in blue jump in, stabbing with his spear which the man in red and black parried and riposted, forcing the man in blue to back off. The sight of the spear in action caused him to remember something he and Issei had just been discussing during lunch earlier today.

_It was a murder._

_An entire family slaughtered in their home at night. The police have no suspects or murder weapon, and this is the strangest part, from the way the family was killed, the murder weapon was a weapon with a long blade, like a sword or a spear._

_…a sword…a spear…_

_Just like those…people…are fighting with…_

As Shirou thought that, the man in blue caught sight of him as he jumped back from yet another one of the man in red and black's attacks. "Who's that?" he demanded, and gasping in alarmed realization Shirou turned and bolted for the school.

Growling at the interruption, the man in blue leapt off in pursuit, while the man in red and black glanced at the girl watching from the sidelines, who Shirou had failed to notice much less recognize.

"Damn it!" Sakura swore, already turning to the school building herself. "Someone was still here? Archer, stop Lancer! Move!"

Shirou ran.

* * *

He just knew that if either of those two who'd been fighting managed to catch up with him, it would _not _end well for him…probably permanently so. So he ran, and ran, and ran, not caring where he went or how many corners he turned.

All that mattered was that he lost his pursuer or pursuers in the corridors and rooms of the academy, and that he could avoid them until they either moved on or abandoned the pursuit. Ignoring the protests of his muscles and the burning in his lungs, Shirou just ran through the school, until finally he slumped down against a corridor in…someplace dark, in the school's interior.

For a few moments he just sat there, legs and lungs burning from the sudden exertion, the boy breathing heavily to catch his breath. "_Did I lose them?_" Shirou thought.

"Hey." The man in blue suddenly asked next to him, and with a yelp Shirou jerked to the side and down against the ground.

Before him, the man in blue stood with his spear resting against a shoulder, looking down at Shirou with a resigned smile. "You ran pretty far." He remarked. "But, this is as far as you go."

Shirou gasped and then his eyes bulged as faster than he could see, the red spear stabbed down and into his chest, piercing his heart. "Dead men tell no tales." The man in blue said, pulling the spear out in a fountain of blood.

And Shirou knew nothing more.

* * *

Sakura ran around a corner, and her eyes widened at the sight of a body lying on the ground, in the dark, and in the middle of a pool of blood. "GOD DAMN IT!" she roared, and punching the nearest wall hard enough to flake paint off. "God damn it…"

_Magi walk with death._

_We do not fear its coming._

_And because we do not fear its coming, we don't hesitate nor fear to bring it with us._

_That is what it means to be a magus._

_…_

_…_

_…_

_I don't like it._

_There has to be different way._

_A better way._

_I can be a better person._

_I should be, right?_

_Mom?_

The feel of Archer approaching had Sakura turning on him. "Look around!" she barked. "Make sure Lancer is gone, but stay close, and stand watch!"

Archer nodded, and then he vanished into astral form. Alone, Sakura turned back to the body in the distance, and after a deep and calming – somewhat – breath, began to walk closer. "_Damn it…_" she thought. "_I should have made sure. I could have made sure. I just wasn't…_"

The thoughts trailed off as she came close enough to see _who _was lying on the ground in his own blood. This was the first time Sakura had been so close, and that brought back memories.

_The teacher droned on and on about the symbolism and themes of poetry from the 10th Century. Most of the class paid attention, some taking notes, but others just making a show of it, as demonstrated by glassy eyes, or doodles being drawn in the guise of taking notes._

_Sakura was among those taking notes, but she was essentially working on autopilot. Academically-speaking it was important, but when all was said and done, she had really no interest in love letters exchanged between aristocrats in Ancient Japan. Double-checking her notes, she then took advantage of the teacher briefly turning away to write something on the chalkboard._

_In that moment, Sakura looked out of the windows, at the clear blue skies above, with only the barest touches of white from clouds very high up, and then down to the quadrangle below. Upperclassmen were having a PE class there, and that was so mundane a sight that Sakura almost immediately turned away._

_Or rather…she would have._

_For as she did so, she caught sight of a young, redheaded – how unusual was that – upperclassman clearly trying to do a high jump that was much too high for him. And as if that wasn't absurd enough, he was doing it from the wrong direction._

_Sakura snorted at such antics, and turned back to the teacher. But a few minutes later, and she was turning back to the quadrangle. She didn't know why, but her eyes were drawn to where that upperclassman had been a few minutes ago…_

_…and he was still there. Still no success on his part, but he wasn't giving up, and it showed on the hard set of his face._

_Again, Sakura looked away. But before long, she was looking back, and then away, and then back again. Slowly but surely, absurdity gave way to something else, something she couldn't really put her finger on…_

Sakura stared down at the redheaded upperclassman dying before her, and before long was crouching down next to him. "Shirou…Emiya…sempai, wasn't it?" she murmured.

There was no answer. After a moment, Sakura reached out, and hesitantly touched his head. "I always wondered if your hair was dyed or natural…" she murmured. "Feels natural to me…"

Moving down, she pressed her fingers against his neck, and felt his pulse. It was weak, fleeting, and _struggling_, but it was still there. Sakura made her decision.

"_Are you disappointed in me for saving a life, father?_" Sakura thought while lifting the gem her father had given her all those years ago. "_I guess that makes us even…for disappointing me by throwing your life away._"

Pushing such thoughts away, Sakura began to cast the spell that would save a life.

* * *

A/N

Some things stay the same…or do they? Okay, some have stayed the same, like the high jump of love, and the gas leaks plus that murdered family. But, the (other) changes from canon should be becoming apparent now, some obvious, and others subtle.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 3

There was a heavy atmosphere in the Tohsaka living room. Aoi was there, wearing a warm robe over her nightdress, as was Sakura, still wearing her school uniform. Mother and daughter both sat in armchairs, while Archer was leaning against a wall.

"I'm appalled." He began. "You used one of your most valuable jewels to save a witness. Sakura, I'm sure you know the rule when it comes to witnesses is to shut them up, permanently if necessary. And yet you…"

"No, the rule is the same as it is with all ordinary people who witness the supernatural." Sakura interrupted snappily. "Killing them is a last resort, otherwise altering their memories will be sufficient. And I'll do just that once he's recovered some more. Altering memories is a tricky thing at the best of times, best not to do that when his mind is still reeling from the shock of getting stabbed in the heart and coming ever so close to dying."

"Do you even know where he lives?" Archer asked.

"No," Sakura admitted. "But it shouldn't be too hard to find out. I know his name, after all. Shirou Emiya…and from there, it shouldn't be too hard to find out on the public record. Or, I can just wait for him at school, and do the modifications there. Probably the former, all things considered."

"…that said," Archer began after a moment. "You still spent one of your most valuable jewels to save him."

"As you said," Sakura said with a rapidly-cooling tone and expression. "It was to save an innocent life. A worthy cause, no matter which way I look at it."

Sakura paused, and then tilted her head. "You know," she continued. "I was under the impression we'd already agreed on how to fight this war. No civilian casualties. Minimal collateral damage…and yet here you are, calling for the death of someone who isn't involved in the war at all."

Archer raised his hands in a surrendering gesture, unwilling to clash on this topic any further. Sakura also decided to drop the matter, though with a sigh Archer – having decided to go along (again) with his Master on her decision – quickly pointed something out that _might _render her generosity moot. "There's just one more problem." He said.

"What's that?"

"If Lancer finds out that the witness is still alive," he answered. "Then…"

Archer trailed off, but the rest of it was clear enough. Sakura immediately shot up, and ran out of the living room to where the phone was, and with it the collection of phonebooks listing down names of people, families, businesses, and their addresses. A few minutes later and she was back, leaning through the doorway.

"Archer," she said. "Let's go."

_Hmm…I did decide to just follow her lead on this…but shall I test her resolve first?_

"No."

"…what did you say?"

"I said no." Archer said, sitting back on the couch and crossing his arms. "There's no need for either of us to take action to save that schoolmate of yours, in fact I'd even say doing so would be a wasted effort. He might already be dead by the time we reach him, and even if he isn't, to really keep him safe you'll have to take custody of him. In short: he'll be a burden, and one I refuse to take or let you take."

Sakura gaped at him for a few moments, and then she drew herself up, her face and eyes seemingly carved from ice. "Fine," she said. "You don't want to help, then I'll do it myself."

"Wait, what?"

This time it was Archer's turn to gape, but Sakura wasn't there anymore, already storming off and moments later the sound of the front doors opening and closing could be heard in the distance. "…she's really something." Archer finally said while running a hand over his face.

Aoi smiled weakly. "Yes, she is." She agreed. "She's like her father in that light, though with more fire and passion. He was…well, when he made his decisions, he just expected everyone to follow in a calm, matter-of-fact way, and everyone did just follow in his wake. But Sakura…well, you saw."

"Yes, I did." Archer said with a sigh. "Her father…I assume he was a magus?"

"Yes," Aoi said with a nod. "A magus…through and through…"

Archer was silent for a long moment. "No offense," he eventually said. "But…I've known magi in my life. Your husband…he seemed like the typical sort. But your daughter…she's very unusual for a magus. Too caring…too…considerate…"

Aoi sighed. "Yes, she is." She admitted. "I suppose that's my fault. I'm not a magus. I'm just someone with…a certain, gift. I can't really – and I don't know how to – raise someone like a true magus, not the way my husband would have had he been around. I mean, Kirei did well teaching Sakura how to use magecraft, but…I'm her mother. I'm her example, the one she really looks up to and sets as her standard. So even with all her father that she has in her, his example and that of Kirei…as the one who raised her…"

Aoi trailed off, and then blinked in surprise as Archer gently placed a hand on her shoulder, and squeezed reassuringly. "It's alright." He said. "I don't blame you, and I don't think your daughter would either. You did the best you could, and no one can much less should criticize you for it."

Aoi stared at the Servant for a few moments, and then looking away gave a small chuckle. "I doubt my husband would agree." She said.

"Well, you know him better than I do, so I'll take your word for it." Archer said with a shrug and a smile. "But to be honest, a magus with a sense of morality and ethics isn't a bad thing. A bit troublesome to work with, but it's not a bad thing. Definitely not."

Aoi nodded. "No," she said. "I guess it isn't."

Archer took a deep breath, and nodding made to leave. "Well," he said. "I guess I'd better get going. I wouldn't want to leave her running around at night alone for far too long."

"No, you shouldn't."

Archer smiled, and then nodded again before walking away. "Archer!" Aoi suddenly said, and he paused to turn and look back at her. "Keep her safe."

"…I will."

* * *

Shirou came home to a dark and empty house.

That wasn't surprising, though. It was late, far later than even when he worked overtime at his part-time job in the city. So he couldn't really expect Taiga to wait for him before eating dinner, much less before going home. Taiga might not live too far away, but it still wasn't her home.

There was however, a covered plate of food and a note left for Shirou on the dining room table. Shirou took it in with a glance despite the dark – it was rather short – and ignoring the food, slumped wearily against a nearby wall. Things being what they were Shirou had understandably little appetite.

He didn't know how long he sat there in the dark, head bowed as he thought about everything that had happened earlier in the evening. The battle between those two…people, in the school's quadrangle. Getting noticed and then chased down by one of those two combatants. And then getting stabbed and…

…well, he clearly wasn't dead, but…he should be. He just knew he should be dead. And yet here he was.

The weight of the jewel in his pocket hinted at why that was the case, as did the barely-remembered memory of a girl speaking in a foreign language with that strange light. Was that a magus? Was what he heard a spell? A spell that saved his life, but if so, why?

Shirou would probably have asked more questions as he thought about the events from earlier, but the sudden burst of killing intent that saturated the house caught him by surprise. And worst of all, he recognized it.

It was the same killing intent from the man in blue who'd stabbed him in the heart.

"He followed me here?" Shirou gasped, trying to get to his feet only for his legs to give out under him and sending him sprawling on the ground. "I need a weapon, anything!"

Scrambling around in desperation, it took only a moment for Shirou to find and pick up a rolled tube of paper with thin metal plates on the back. Despite the situation, Shirou found himself smiling at a painful memory from the previous night.

_"Ta-da!" Taiga said playfully while holding up a movie poster with her hands, and caused Shirou to jump to his feet in surprise. "They're old movie posters! I brought them over for…ah!"_

_"That's not what I meant." Shirou said as he swiped the poster away, and rolling it up, made to strike Taiga with a shout._

_Too slow…the moment he began to move, Taiga had recognized what he was doing and swiping up a still-rolled poster preempted Shirou. There was a clang of metal, and the rolled poster Shirou was holding fell to the ground._

_"What was that?" Taiga said with a grin, as Shirou grit his teeth in pain and glared at her. "You're still ten years too young to be challenging a kendo veteran like me!"_

_"That's not the point." Shirou ground out. "Are movie posters supposed to be hard like this?"_

_Taiga jolted, and then recoiled in embarrassment. "Oh sorry!" she said with a nervous and flustered smile. "This was the limited edition with iron plates on the back."_

_"IRON…?"_

"It can't be helped." Shirou said with a small smile, tightening his grip on the poster. "All that's left to go to from here is up. Trace on."

Shirou closed his eyes, shutting out the searing pain of prana flowing through his body, and focused only on the poster in his hand. "Components, analyzed." He said. "Fundamental Structure, analyzed. Composition, reinforced."

Shirou opened his eyes and brandished his makeshift weapon in front of him. "Now, let's…!" Shirou began to say when a dark figure dropped down behind him.

Shirou turned his head, and narrowly dodged a blow that would have taken his head clean off otherwise. He was sent sprawling, and the food on the table spilled on the floor, but he was alive.

"Honestly," the man in blue growled. "And I went to all the trouble to make it painless too. Stay dead for good this time, brat!"

He stabbed forward with his spear, but Shirou skidded back onto his feet, avoiding getting skewered yet again. Undeterred, the man in blue pressed the attack with a series of stabs and slashes that Shirou clumsily parried, each blow striking with enough force to stagger him, the boy barely able to stay on his feet.

And then he was sent flying by a kick through a door, out onto the backyard. Scrambling away and to his feet, Shirou ran for the shed even as the man in blue jumped out after him.

Smirking, he flanked Shirou and kicking him in the flank sent him flying with a shout of pain to slam hard against one of the shed's walls before falling to the ground. At the same time, unnoticed by Shirou, a trio of symbols faded into view over a hand and down an arm. Clutching at his side, Shirou coughed and glared at his enemy, and then his eyes went wide as the man in blue threw his spear at him.

Somehow, Shirou avoided it, the spear stabbing into the ground with enough force that had it hit it would undoubtedly have pinned Shirou against the wall. Shirou was now again on his feet, only to be kicked through the shed's door in the next moment.

Shirou coughed and gasped on the floor, gingerly clutching at his side and belly. As he regained his breath, he turned his head, and gasped, wide-eyed at the man in blue crouched in a relaxed fashion in the doorway, spear held relaxed over a shoulder.

"Give it up." He said in a patronizing tone. Something about that just made Shirou's blood boil, the pain vanishing in a blaze of adrenaline.

Shouting angrily, Shirou lunged at the man in blue who dodged back, graciously letting Shirou get to his feet before counterattacking. He struck once, twice, and then three times. Shirou blocked all three, but the third shattered his weapon into glittering shards that quickly crumbled into dust and had the man in blue briefly surprised, allowing Shirou to take a couple of step back.

In the next moment though, the man in blue had fallen into a stance, his spear aimed squarely at Shirou's chest. "Checkmate." The man in blue said with a grin. "Sorry kid, but this is the end of the line. Shame…you might actually have been the seventh."

Unknown to Shirou, who had his back to it, a magic circle carved into the shed's floor was beginning to glow. Arcane symbols, lines and circles glowed softly as motes danced in the air above, while the symbols on Shirou's hand and arm flickered in sympathy.

Shirou grit his teeth and clenched his fists as he stared down the enemy in front of him. "_Die…?_" he thought. "_I'm going to die here? Damn it…! I can't die here! Not like this…not when I haven't done anything yet…not without having saved a single life…not without having changed a single thing! For my ideals…dad's ideals…not like this!_"

At the thought, the symbols on Shirou's hand and arm flared bright and hot, as did the summoning circle behind him. The man in blue and Shirou alike shielded their eyes from the light flooding into and out of the workshop, both turning toward the summoning circle to see prana coalescing into a petite, armored form in the middle.

And not just them: the light flooding out of the shed was easily visible a good distance away to anyone within line of sight, including Sakura and Archer as they closed in. "What's that?" Sakura asked in surprise.

There was a blast of wind, and with a cry the man in blue was sent flying out from the doorway and tumbling across the yard beyond. Shirou was also buffeted aside by the blast, and landed hard against a wall. As he lowered his arms, having used them to shield his face, he speechlessly regarded the person standing in front of him.

She was a girl of average height, wearing a dress of blue and white with rune-engraved plates of steel over her chest, torso, and skirt, heavy gauntlets covering her hands and forearms. Her blonde hair was tied back in a bun, bright green eyes regarding him coolly.

But that wasn't what struck Shirou the most.

That she was beautiful there could be no doubt.

No, what struck Shirou the most was the air that surrounded the beautiful girl. Though Shirou had never met anyone like her in the past, he just knew the only word to describe her with was 'regal'.

Yes, here was someone used to command and being obeyed without question, and yet despite a part of him instinctively distrusting such an absolute existence, he _knew _that this girl was one who would never abuse her authority, and would only ever use it as it should be used.

_How? How did I know that?_

"Servant Saber," the girl said. "Here I stand by your summons. Answer me: are you my Master?"

Shirou stared up in awed stupefaction at the girl calling herself 'Saber', and blinked once as he pulled his thoughts together. "Saber…?" he echoed, and blinked again as the girl stepped closer.

"Servant Saber," she repeated. "If you are my Master, then here I stand by your summons, and by the power of the Holy Grail."

Shirou struggled to his feet, but before he could say anything, Saber gave an alarmed glance out the doorway before rushing out. "Hey, wait…!" Shirou said while rushing after her, but came to an abrupt halt just a step out the doorway, staring at the scene that met him.

Saber rushed forward, wind rippling in white patterns over a vaguely sword-shaped form held low to one side. Against her, the man in blue charged forward, the red spear aimed at her heart.

Saber was silent, while the man in blue roared his battle fury aloud. Their weapons came together with the ringing sound of steel against steel, partly-muffled by the thunderous boom of displaced air. The two figures fell back after the initial clash, and then in the next instant charged forward again.

Once, twice, they crossed blades, falling back after both times. "An invisible sword…?" Shirou murmured, focusing on the unseen form of the weapon Saber was holding in her hand.

"Coward!" the man in blue shouted at Saber. "Show your weapon!"

Face set as though in stone, Saber silently charged forward, the man in blue looking shocked at such seeming insolence. Saber slashed twice, powerful two-handed blows that the man in blue parried with great effort, air displaced in thunderous blasts.

Finally, Saber gave a sound, shouting her fury before raising her sword and bringing it down with even more power than before. Wind erupted as she raised her weapon, funneling into a whirlwind around her invisible sword, and exploding outward as she brought it down.

The man in blue growled in frustration as he fell back rather than take the blow head on, but the powerful burst of wind caused him to skid back further than expected. "What's wrong, Lancer?" Saber asked with a hint of mockery. "Is this the best you can do? If it is, then your class weeps for you."

"Just one thing," Lancer asked with a smirk. "Your weapon, it's a sword isn't it?"

"Who knows?" Saber asked with a small smile. "It could be an axe, a spear, or even a bow."

Lancer laughed briefly, and then his face twisted into a sneer. "Shut up, _Saber_." He spat. He brandished his spear forward with point down, its form beginning to steam before glowing a dull, angry red. "How about it? We could call this fight a draw for now, and save it for another day."

"I refuse." Saber immediately said. "You will be defeated here."

"Is that so?" Lancer asked with a bloodthirsty grin. "I never expected to have to use this so soon, but now that it's come to this…"

Lancer broke off, charging forward as he did so. "Your heart is mine!" he snarled as he leapt at Saber who dodged to one side and past, Lancer twisting around to hurl his spear at Saber. "Gae Bolg!"

Saber's eyes went wide, and though she dodged the spear it _bent _up and stabbed through her chest, piercing armor, cloth, and flesh with ease and sending her flying. "Saber!" Shirou shouted, taking a step forward but stopping as he saw Saber quickly roll into a crouch, only to put a hand over her injury.

"You avoided getting killed by Gae Bolg…?" Lancer asked with unhappy surprise.

"Gae Bolg," Saber said softly in recognition. "The heart, or the body, is already pierced even before the spear is thrown, and its path alters to achieve that fate. Because of that there is no way to dodge, with only luck altering fate ahead of time capable of preventing a fatal blow. Such is the power of the cursed spear of the legendary hero of Ireland, Cu Chulainn: Gae Bolg, the Barbed Spear that Pierces with Death."

"I got unlucky, I see." Lancer said with a small laugh, relaxing and stepping away. "My Noble Phantasm is just too recognizable, and as you said despite the name using it doesn't automatically mean instant death. Oh well, that's just how things are I guess."

"Wait, where are you going?" Saber demanded as she saw Lancer beginning to walk away.

"Sorry," Lancer said apologetically, politely pausing to answer her over a shoulder. "Normally now that you know who I am I'd fight you to the death, but I've got a shitty Master who told me to retreat if I ever got into a serious fight or got discovered."

"Do you think I'm just going to let you leave?" Saber demanded, getting to her feet.

"I don't mind if you follow." Lancer said, turning away and walking over to a wall as he did so. "But if you do, then be prepared to die!"

Without another word Lancer leapt up and away, vanishing into the night. Saber stared after him, her bright green eyes unflinchingly focused in his direction, only turning away as Shirou approached.

For a long moment, Master and Servant just stared at each other, and then with a blink, Shirou glanced at Saber's injury, which was healing right in front of his eyes. "Amazing…" he said, before looking back up at Saber's face. "But, who are you?"

"As I said," Saber said. "I am the Servant Saber. By the power of the Holy Grail, I have answered your summons, to fight alongside you in this Holy Grail War."

"Holy Grail War?" Shirou echoed. "Wait, I don't know anything about that!"

"I understand." Saber said with a nod. "You are an improper Master. But even so, I have answered your summons, and bound your fate to my sword. Therefore, I will fight in this war for your sake, as much as for my own."

"As I said…" Shirou began in his turn, only to break off and clutch at his right arm as the tattoos he belatedly noticed began heating up. "What is this?"

Saber ignored him for a moment, looking off into the distance, and then turned back to her Master. "Master," she said. "More enemies are approaching. Heal me."

Shirou looked at her in surprise, his expression quickly morphing to one of apology. "Sorry," he said. "But I don't really know any healing spells. And besides, didn't your wounds heal already?"

"It only looks that way on the surface." Saber said, already looking away again. "Still, I should be good for one more battle, at least."

"Hey, wait!" Shirou shouted after Saber as the blonde girl ran off, Shirou in quick pursuit behind her.

* * *

Wind erupted as Saber raised her sword, funneling into a whirlwind around the invisible blade, and exploded outward as she brought it down in a two-handed stroke with all her might.

Black and white scimitars shattered like glass at the blow, their fragments joined by those of Archer's armor. The Knight of the Bow grit his teeth in pain and frustration, and began to crumple from the serious injury inflicted by Saber's attack.

"Archer, astral form now!" Sakura shouted, as one of her command spells vanished.

It was done in an instant, and in the next Saber was charging forward, sword held low. Hissing, Sakura leapt back on reinforced limbs, a brilliantly-glowing jewel flying from her hand towards the advancing Servant. It should have imploded with all the conceptual weight of an A-ranked spell, opening up an unstable quantum singularity for at least several seconds, but the moment it struck Saber's armor the gem shattered with the prana inside dispersing harmlessly into the air.

_Shit! Her magic resistance…it's…!_

"Saber stop!"

Saber stopped abruptly, eyes wide at the interruption. She turned her head over a shoulder, and looked back at Shirou who'd run after her. "Why?" she demanded. "She is an enemy! The Master of that second Servant! She should be eliminated as soon as possible!"

"Don't talk about killing people so casually!" Shirou shouted back. "And I don't even know what this whole thing is about either!"

"This whole thing?" Saber echoed. "This is the Holy Grail War. And it's precisely what it sounds like. So I will not obey those orders!"

For a long moment, silence fell, Shirou and Saber just staring at each other, and then the silence was broken as Sakura relaxed and took the initiative. She wasn't quite sure about her current situation in its entirety, but at the very least it seemed that she had at least gained a little breathing space to avoid getting killed by a Servant, what with her own Servant unexpectedly incapacitated.

"This isn't really something to be chatted about in the open like this." she observed lightly, at least on the surface, and drawing the attention of Saber and her Master, the former narrowing her eyes at the hidden steel beneath Sakura's words. Shirou however, just looked at her from the distance with a wary but confused expression on his face, as though he knew but couldn't quite recognize her.

It was understandable though, as they hadn't really interacted much before, and she was standing in the shadowed area between the cones of light from the streetlights. And he was standing somewhat far away too.

"Lower your sword Saber, and let's discuss this in private." Sakura continued, but as the realization of who Saber's Master was sunk in, Sakura's mind was thrown into a whirl.

_Sempai…Emiya-sempai…he's a Master. But that means he's a magus! And one right under my nose all this time!_

_If so…could it be…he…_

_No…what he said just now…he doesn't know about the Holy Grail War…an amateur maybe? And it's not like he's caused any kind of trouble before._

_If that's the case, then…_

"My sword is not lowered before an enemy!" Saber shouted, and Sakura laughed softly.

Holding out her arms to her sides and showing her empty hands, Sakura slowly stepped forward, ignoring Archer's warnings and questions in her head about what she was doing. "Then finish the job." Sakura said with a small smile and a challenging tone, surprising even herself at the sheer nerve of the gamble she was taking. "Though, I wonder if someone as knightly in appearance as you, can strike down an unarmed opponent, and one who's invoked parley."

Sakura stopped walking just a few steps short of Saber, two pairs of green and blue eyes staring into each other for a few moments, and then Saber lowered her sword. With a wary expression on her face she stepped aside for Sakura, who gave a small bow of respect and acknowledgement before stepping forward and past.

And as she stepped close enough for Shirou to make out her features, he gasped in surprise. "You...Tohsaka…?" he stammered out.

For some reason she couldn't quite figure out, that he knew who she was by sight made her feel…warm, on the inside. "Hey," she said, raising a hand in greeting. "Nice to see you looking better than you were earlier, sempai."

Shirou blinked, and then his eyes widened in realization. "Tohsaka…you…?" he stammered out, and Sakura's smile widened.

"Yeah, I was the one who saved your life earlier. Can I come in?"

* * *

A/N

Let's get this phase out of the way quickly. Though there are a number of changes that are now apparent, such as how Aoi's basically behind how Sakura acts (and essentially neutralized Kirei's influence and in part Tokiomi's), plus Sakura outright telling Shirou that he owes her his life.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 4

Sakura and Shirou painstakingly gathered as much as they could find of the broken door, and piled it up in the empty doorway. Then as the latter watched curiously, Sakura drew her father's Azoth Dagger, and used it to cut her finger open. Blood dribbled out, and Sakura flicked it out over the pile of broken wood and torn paper.

She then waved her hand, and with the faintest hint of ozone in the air, the pile of refuse seemed to _melt _and _flow _back into place and shape, until the door was back, seemingly as though it had never been broken at all. "Amazing…" Shirou gasped with wide eyes, as Sakura sheathed her dagger behind her.

Sakura shrugged. "Not really," she modestly said. "It's just alteration. Simple, too simple other magi might say, but personally, I find the simplest solutions to work best most of the time."

"If you say so," Shirou said while rubbing the back of his head. "But it was pretty amazing to me. I can't do anything like that."

Sakura looked at him curiously at that. "Really?" she asked.

"Yes."

Sakura leaned closer and stared at Shirou, who drew back though he made sure to meet her eyes. Saber narrowed her own eyes, but said and did nothing. Then Sakura smiled and drew back. "So you really are an amateur magus then." She said.

"I…guess, you can say that." Shirou said. "I only had what my dad could teach me, so…yeah…"

Sakura hummed and paced a bit, tapping her chin. "Your dad, huh?" she asked. "I see…both of you were amateur magi. Tell me, Shirou. Do you know what a Second Owner is?"

"Yes." Shirou said with a nod. "They're a magus assigned by the Mages Association to oversee spiritually-valuable land. Anything supernatural going on there, whether it's rituals or other magi living or even just entering that land, has to be reported to them, as they have the responsibility of making sure nothing goes wrong there. Wait…are you saying Fuyuki has a Second Owner?"

"You're looking at her."

Shirou yelped and Sakura giggled. "Relax," she said. "You and your dad haven't caused any trouble from what I know, which is probably all that matters since you're about the same age as me, so I suppose I can let it slide."

"Really?"

Sakura shrugged. "Well," she said. "You weren't not complete amateurs if you know about the Mages Association and what Second Owners are, so other magi might say you should have tried to find out if Fuyuki had one."

"But?"

"You didn't cause any trouble." Sakura said with another shrug. "And you don't seem to be planning to, so it's not really an issue. I'm not really the kind of girl who's obsessed with following rules to the letter. Especially when those rules could start more trouble than what they're worth, which is usually the case when it comes to magi. If it doesn't cause any real problems, live and let live, I say."

"I…see…yeah, that sounds like you."

Sakura hummed while raising an eyebrow. "Oh?" she asked, leaning closer while crossing her arms. "And what have you heard about me?"

"Um…" Shirou fidgeted. "Well, you're from the same school as me, you're one grade lower, you have top scores all around, and you're a rich girl."

Sakura snorted, and then actually laughed. "Rich girl?" she echoed with a smile. "Really?"

"Yeah, that's what they say about you." Shirou said with an apologetic smile. "Oh, and you have a reputation for going to and from school with roller blades…and you actually dragged the Student Council in front of the PTA when they tried to call you out for it."

"I wouldn't say I dragged them in front of the PTA," Sakura said with a cough, and then tilted her head. "Though, I'm more interested in what you think about that incident."

"I'd say it was taken too far." Shirou said with a shrug. "I mean, it's not like you were breaking any rules, and you do look like you know what you were doing. Besides, we're in the suburbs. We don't see much traffic around here and in school, so…yeah. There was really no need for the council to go that far."

Sakura was silent for a long moment, just smiling at Shirou, and then making a coquettish gesture turned away from Shirou. "You know what, sempai?" she began. "I think I like you."

"Huh?"

But Sakura was now regarding Saber, who silently stared met and returned Sakura's stare. "You feel…incomplete." Sakura finally said.

"Yes." She agreed. "The connection between Shirou and myself is incomplete, and recovering prana will be difficult. And I cannot assume astral form."

"Hmm…that could be a problem."

"Yeah, about that." Shirou said with a cough. "Tohsaka, do you mind explaining what this whole 'Holy Grail War' business is all about? Because I honestly have no idea at all."

Sakura glanced at Shirou, and then briefly tilted her head in thought. "I'm probably not the best person to tell you." She finally said. "About the Holy Grail War, that is. I can tell you about the Masters and Servants though."

Shirou blinked, and then Sakura pointed at the tattoos on his hand and arm. "See those?" Sakura asked. "Those are command spells. They symbolize the contract between you and your Servant, who shall remain loyal to you and obliged to fight for you and to obey you so long as you have them. And they also have another function."

"And what's that?" Shirou asked, lowering his right hand and arm, having closely regarded his command spells while Sakura was talking.

"They're not called command spells simply because." Sakura said. "Each of those tattoos actually allows for a single, absolute, and overriding command. Put another way, using them allows you to order your Servant to do something that they wouldn't normally do, even against their free will if necessary."

"That's barbaric!" Shirou exploded, and Sakura nodded.

"No argument there." she agreed. "But in my defense I wasn't the one who came up with the idea, I just received mine just like you did. And they can be useful, and aren't necessarily barbaric depending on how they're used."

"How can something which violates a person's free will not be barbaric?"

"Did I say it always violates their free will?" Sakura asked back. "It can do that yes, and yes, it can force them to do something they normally wouldn't do…or could."

Shirou blinked, catching the emphasis on the last part. "What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"In theory," Sakura said. "A Servant could do things just short of True Magic when empowered by a command spell. For instance, I get separated and cornered far from my Servant. By using a command spell and ordering him to come to me, he can…and in an instant to boot."

"Teleportation?" Shirou echoed in surprise.

"I guess…it does fall in that category." Sakura said with a shrug. "It's more complex than that, but yeah, it fits."

"I see." Shirou said with a nod, again looking at his command spells. "Well, I guess it's not all bad, so long as it isn't abused or used for something that's inherently wrong."

"Pretty much," Sakura said with a shrug. "Anyway, let's get going."

"Going?" Shirou echoed. "To where?"

"To the person best suited to explain to you the Holy Grail War."

"And who's that?"

"The overseer of the contest, Kirei Kotomine."

* * *

"Kotomine…Church…?"

"Yes." Sakura said with a nod. "This is the place."

"A church?" Shirou asked skeptically.

Sakura smiled sympathetically. "Yeah, I know it sounds strange when you hear about it for the first time without knowing the reasoning behind it." She said. "It'd sound even stranger, when you're told the Overseer is also an actual priest of the Holy Church."

"Seriously?" Shirou asked, walking beside Sakura towards the church's doors. Behind them, Saber followed wearing a bright yellow raincoat to hide her armor and foreign appearance from unwanted attention. "But, doesn't the Church see magecraft as heresy? Why would they be the ones overseeing something like…this?"

"You know the story behind the Holy Grail, don't you?" Sakura asked.

"Yes." Shirou said with a nod.

"Well there's your answer." Sakura said. "As the Holy Grail is an artefact of the Christian God or rather His son, the Holy Church reserves the right to determine its provenance, its use, and well, basically everything else related to it. And that includes this war. Also…"

"Also?" Shirou prompted.

"Well," Sakura said. "The Church already knows the Grail of this city is a fake, that is it's just an artefact of the same name."

"What?"

Sakura nodded. "That makes the Grail worthless to the Church, as they have no use for it." She said. "However, that also makes them perfect for arbitrating the issues that develop between and from the magi who get selected as Masters, since the Church has no interest in the Grail's power themselves. In short: they're neutral."

"I see." Shirou said with a slow nod. "So that's how it is."

They walked in silence up to the doors, and then Sakura paused to turn to Shirou. "A word of warning," she said. "The priest here is an old friend of my family so I know him…better than most. And while this might seem rude, it is the truth."

Shirou just looked quizzical, and Sakura smiled. "He's a bit off in the head." She said, and Shirou made a strange sound before looking at her skeptically, and prompting her to shrug.

"Master," Saber said from behind them, and causing the two magi to look at her. "If your destination is this church, then I have no business coming inside. I will remain here outside, and stand guard."

"Alright," Shirou said with a nod, and Saber nodded back before turning to face away from the church. Shirou then turned back to Sakura, who shrugged before opening the door.

Stepping inside with Shirou behind her, they let the doors close on their own while walking down the aisle towards the altar. The interior lights were off, leaving only the moonlight to cast long shadows down from the stained glass windows behind the altar and crucifix. "So…" Shirou began as they stood before the altar. "Does the priest know we're coming? Or is he asleep and we should come back tomorrow?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "He's the Overseer and the war is fought at night to keep people from noticing." She said. "Of course he's awake, and he'll be out here soon enough."

"Oh I see."

The two of them waited for a few more minutes, and then with the sound of heavy but steady footsteps, a tall, dark-haired priest with dark, seemingly-empty eyes emerged from one side of the altar and approached. "Well, well, well," he said with a deep and powerful voice. "I'd expected you to come, Sakura. I just didn't expect you to bring a friend with you. Who is he?"

"Kirei Kotomine," Sakura said with a gesture to the priest, and then she gestured towards Shirou. "Shirou Emiya."

Kirei blinked, and then smiled a strange smile that Shirou couldn't place but inwardly disturbed him for some reason. "Shirou…Emiya...?" the priest echoed.

"T-that's right."

Kirei then turned back to Sakura. "Emiya-sempai witnessed a fight between my Archer and the Lancer." She said, inwardly deciding to skip over most of the details. "Turns out that sempai was an amateur magus, but despite the fact that as a magus he had the right to know about the contest, Lancer still attacked him. And it was during this attack that he somehow managed to accidentally summon the Saber, despite not knowing about the contest in the first place."

"I see." Kirei said with a nod. "And you want me to explain to him what the contest is about, do you not?"

"Among other things, yes."

Kirei chuckled. "Your papers are ready, and you may collect them afterwards. But as for explaining the contest…you could have done that yourself." He said before turning to Shirou. "Though since you have come this far, very well…you are Saber's Master, are you not?"

Again Shirou was taken aback, and after a moment rallied. "Yes…yes, I am." He said. "But, I didn't plan to summon her it just…happened…so, that's why…"

Kirei chuckled, causing Shirou to trail off. "Listen well," he said. "Becoming a Master, whether intentionally or not, is your responsibility, and the command spells you have been granted are proof of that fact. Perhaps it is an inconvenience for you, but that is immaterial. To fulfill this responsibility, you must win the Holy Grail, and make a wish."

"A wish?" Shirou echoed.

Kirei theatrically held out his hands. "The prize of the winner of the Holy Grail War is to have their wishes granted, even if such a wish is to cleanse all inner filth." He said. "Indeed, you could even start over from the very beginning if you wanted to. Depending on how things go, inconvenience may turn to rejoicing, at becoming a Master."

"How typically dramatic," Sakura dryly remarked. "Come on Kirei, the guy didn't ask for this. No need to lead him on, just explain the contest to him."

"Very well," Kirei said with a nod. "The Holy Grail War is a contest. It is fought between seven magi who are selected as 'Masters', and who summon seven Heroic Spirits as 'Servants'. The method is crude and undesirable, but alas, it is the only means with which to select who is worthy of the Holy Grail."

Kirei paused, and smiled just a little bit wider. "It may be that you doubt the provenance of the Holy Grail of this city." He said. "If so, you are correct, for it is to be doubted. But it is also immaterial, for its power and the Grail itself are real. As I said, Servants are Heroic Spirits summoned by the Masters to fight for them, and by the power of the Holy Grail are incarnated as miracles infinitely close to True Magic. Compared to that, what is its authenticity worth?"

Shirou hummed unhappily for a moment. "Alright," he said. "I've personally seen what Servants can do, so if you say they're incarnated Heroic Spirits I can accept that. The same for your and Tohsaka's explanations about the Grail. But no matter what, there's no reason to kill each other for it. If the Grail really is such a wonderful thing, shouldn't its power be used for everybody's sake?"

"An interesting opinion, but one that cannot become reality." Kirei immediately said, briefly closing his eyes afterwards. "The Holy Grail itself selects the Masters as candidates, allows them to summon Servants, and have them fight in order to prove who is truly worthy of it. Such is the Holy Grail War, fought between those chosen by the Grail, in order to earn its final blessing."

"But, even if we have to fight each other for it," Shirou said, sounding and looking angry. "There's no reason for us to go so far as to kill each other!"

"You're right, there isn't." Sakura put in. "Technically speaking, just eliminating the Servants except for your own is all you need to do to win. But…"

Sakura trailed off, glancing at Kirei who nodded. "Allow me to ask, Shirou Emiya." He said. "Can you defeat your own Servant?"

"What?"

"Servants are powerful." Kirei said. "Even for other Servants, defeating a fellow Servant is not an easy task, much less for Masters. However, Servants cannot exist without a Master. If so…"

"Then killing the Master is the easiest way to win." Shirou concluded darkly, and Kirei nodded.

"You also have to remember that Servants who lose their Masters don't disappear immediately." Sakura added. "So long as they still have enough prana, they can continue to exist for some time on their own. And, if they find a Master who's lost their Servant but still has command spells, well, they can make a new contract and rejoin the war. See where we're going with this?"

"About that," Shirou said, turning to face Sakura. "What happens when you lose or use all your command spells? Would it free your Servant and allow them to make a contract with another Master?"

"Indeed," Kirei said with a nod, and causing the two magi to turn to him. "Losing all your command spells relieves you of a Master's role. But…"

Kirei paused to smile with contempt. "If such a fate were to befall a magus in this contest," he said. "They'd be less than amateurs…mere cowards even…"

Shirou grit his teeth, somehow just knowing that the priest was referring to him potentially taking such a course of action. "…regardless," Kirei continued before Shirou could say anything. "If such a thing were to happen, I would guarantee their safety. Such is my duty as the Overseer of the Fifth Holy Grail War."

"Wait, the fifth?" Shirou echoed in shock and disbelief.

"Yes, this is the Fifth Holy Grail War, as previously mentioned." Kirei said with a nod. "The last one was just ten years ago."

"Are you people insane?" Shirou demanded in anger and outrage. "Holding this kind of thing over and over again?"

"You would not be the first to say so." Kirei said, glancing pointedly at Sakura who merely crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him. "But that is neither here nor there. What must be said here and now is that past Holy Grail Wars were especially brutal. Driven by greed, Masters schemed, fought, killed, and destroyed indiscriminately. That is why in the aftermath of the third war, an agreement was reached between the Mages Association and the Holy Church to allow the latter to dispatch an overseer for succeeding Holy Grail Wars. Such was my father's role, and which I have inherited."

"I see." Shirou said after a moment with narrowed eyes. "In other words, the rules of magi society were repeatedly broken in the past by the Masters, and your role is to keep that from happening again, isn't it?"

"To an extent, yes." Kirei said with a nod. "However, it is not our role to determine who should win the war, regardless of their character. Ours is only to maintain the rules."

"So you're saying it doesn't matter if someone who would kill people indiscriminately or worse wins the Grail?" Shirou exploded.

"So long as the rules are maintained, it does not." Kirei said with a smile, eyes flicking towards an equally disgusted-looking Sakura before narrowing and then turning back to Shirou afterwards. "If you disagree, then win this war. Fight, and keep those you judge unworthy from winning the Grail. Certainly, you will find more assurance there than in trusting others."

"That's so unreasonable!" Shirou shouted. "I have no reason to fight, much less a wish to offer to the Holy Grail! Why should I have to…!"

Kirei's smile twitched wider. "Then perhaps you might be interested in hearing about disasters caused by the events of previous wars?" he interrupted. "Such as…the Great Fire ten years ago?"

Shirou gasped, the fires of anger going out at Kirei's words. "Ten years ago," Kirei began. "An unworthy Master attempted to claim the Holy Grail. I know not why he did as he did, only that it resulted in catastrophe. Yes, the Great Fire of ten years ago, the cause of which is still officially unknown, was in fact the end result of the Fourth Holy Grail War."

Sakura glanced at Shirou as his bearing abruptly seemed to go off, like he was spacing out, and indeed, his eyes were distant and unseeing. "Sempai," Sakura began, stepping closer. "Are you alright? Sempai…"

Shirou didn't seem to hear, though he jolted when Sakura placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry," he said, before turning back to Kirei. "And, what happened after that?"

Kirei didn't reply for a moment. "The war ended as a failure." He finally said. "As I said, someone unworthy attempted to claim the Grail, only for the Grail to reject him."

Shirou glanced at Sakura who shook her head. He then briefly lowered his face in thought for several moments, and then he blinked and stared at Kirei in realization. "Could it be," he began. "You were a Master in that war?"

"I was, up to a point." Kirei admitted. "But I lost my Servant, and had to seek asylum under my father, who was the overseer at the time."

Kirei briefly closed his eyes, and turned to leave. "That is all I have to say." He said. "Know however, that only a Master with a Servant may gain the Holy Grail. When only one Servant is left, then their Master will be blessed by the Holy Grail. But before you depart, let me ask you a single thing, Shirou Emiya!"

Shirou narrowed his eyes, and drew himself up as though answering a challenge. "Do you have what it takes to fight in this Holy Grail War?" Kirei asked.

Shirou briefly lowered his face, but then just as quickly raised it to meet Kirei's gaze. "I'll fight." He said in a quiet but determined voice. "I won't let this war end like the last one did."

Kirei didn't respond, and after a few moments, Sakura placed a hand on Shirou's shoulder. He glanced at her, and she nodded and squeezed reassuringly. "You can wait outside with Saber." She said. "I just need to get some things from Kirei, and then we can head back together."

Shirou stared for a few moments, and then he nodded back. "Alright," he said. "We'll wait for you then."

"Thanks."

"Rejoice, boy." Kirei suddenly said from behind, as Shirou made to leave. "It may be that your wish will be fulfilled. Know however, that if evil does not exist, then neither can justice. Put another way, the noblest wish and the vilest desire have the same origin. No, you need not be ashamed to admit this truth. It comes with being Human, after all."

* * *

"Well, this is goodbye for tonight, I think."

Shirou nodded. The three of them – Shirou, Sakura, and Saber – were standing at a crossroads. "You live across town, don't you?" Shirou asked.

"Yes, I do." Sakura answered with a nod. "And in any case I'm sure you can get home on your own from here, and you do have Saber with you, so no worries."

"What about you though?" Shirou asked. "Will you be able to make it home safely? I mean, your Servant got hurt earlier, didn't he? If you want, we could walk you home."

Sakura smiled and waved him off. "No, it's alright." She said. "I'll be fine on my own. Thanks for the offer though."

"I see."

Shirou and Sakura fell silent, but after a few moments Sakura sighed and tilted her head. "You're nice, sempai." She said. "Nice and kind…it's a shame that people like you are so rare among our kind."

Shirou laughed. "Thanks," he said with mild embarrassment. "Though I could say the same for you."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Shirou said with a nod. "You saved my life earlier, didn't you? There was also what you said earlier about live and let live, how you don't think very highly of this war either, and those papers you had that priest make for you…you're a good person, Tohsaka."

Sakura blushed and looked down, fidgeting from one foot to another. "…that's…really nice of you to say, sempai." She finally said.

Shirou laughed. "It's the truth though." He said. "Good night, and stay safe on the way home.

Sakura nodded and began to turn away. "Thank you," she said. "And the same to you."

Shirou nodded, at the same time as Saber jolted and turned in alarm and Archer did the same, telepathically warning his Master of hostile new arrivals. "Master!" Saber yelled.

Even as Saber gave the warning, the two magi themselves noticed the new arrivals and turned towards them. There were two of them, a young girl of around ten, dressed in rich and expensive furs with a tall _ushanka _on her head. And standing behind her and to the side, was a swarthy giant dressed only in a skirt-like garment and carrying a massive slab of stone like a makeshift axe, his breath steaming in the air.

Heterochromatic eyes – one gold the other red – stared down at them, and the little girl giggled before giving a polite curtsy. "Good evening, big brother." She said just as politely. "And to you as well, Miss Tohsaka. I am Illyasviel von Einzbern."

"Einzbern?" Sakura echoed with mixed and horror. "Oh shit!"

Illyasviel giggled again. "Such crass language," she remarked. "But it's good that you recognize our name. I'd be disappointed if you didn't, given our families' history together. And of course, you should at least know the name of the person who's going to kill you all."

"Kill us?" Shirou echoed. "Hey, wait…!"

"Go, Berserker!" Illyasviel shrieked, and with a thunderous roar Berserker charged forward, Saber doing likewise while throwing off her raincoat.

The battle was on.

* * *

A/N

Somewhere in the multiverse, Sakura is feeling really guilty and jealous at the same time, as one of her counterparts openly and fearlessly flirts with and starts getting closer to Shirou. And it's all natural too.

More importantly, we can't have an FSN fic without the classic 'Yorokobe, shounen' from Kirei, can we now?


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 5

Berserker's roar shook the air, followed by the clattering sound of steel striking a hard surface. Sparks flew from Berserker's axe as it clashed against Saber's invisible sword, and then after a moment disengaged, the towering Servant raising it back before bringing it down for another strike.

Saber again parried, turning the crude and jagged weapon aside, and then jumped back to avoid the backswing. Berserker pressed the initiative, lumbering forward with wide, powerful sweeps that visibly displaced the air behind and around them. Saber didn't bother to block however, preferring to dance around and away from the blows.

And then, slipping under one of the swings she charged forward, and swinging struck at Berserker's torso. No good: sparks flew as the invisible sword skidded harmlessly against the giant's skin, Berserker jumping back to open up the space before bringing down his axe with a roar.

It struck the ground, punching deep into the concrete and ripping a crack through the road ahead towards Saber. Violently-displaced earth erupted upwards from the crack, Saber waiting until the last moment to jump up and away, avoiding taking any hits from the powerfully-displaced air running above the crack.

Berserker had seemingly predicted her actions however, Saber narrowly missing one of his swings as she jumped atop an electric post. From there she leaped up the road, from one post to another. As she did so, she glanced to the side, and noted a growling Berserker catching up, before he swung at her with a roar.

It missed, severed electrical cables sparking harmlessly in the air or against Berserker's skin, as Saber jumped away in time, across the street to atop another electric post and then down to a crouch in front of Illyasviel. As Saber rose, she locked eyes with the little girl who narrowed her eyes and glared at the Servant, as though daring Saber to strike her down.

Whether she would have or not was academic however, as with a roar Berserker charged in swinging. While she managed to dodge the first swing, the follow up had to be blocked, sending her flying back down the street. Flipping back a couple of times with a hand, she finally landed in a crouch, and then clutched at the upper part of her chest.

Shirou's eyes widened at the sight. "That's…!" he said, remembering Lancer's spear earlier stabbing through that exact spot. And he also remembered what Saber had said to him about it only looking healed.

He made to run forward, only to be held in place by a hand on his shoulder. "What do you think you're doing?" Sakura asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Shirou shot back, and shaking himself free. "Saber needs help! So I'm going to help!"

"Are you serious?" Sakura asked, aghast. "You can't just jump into the middle of a battle between Servants! That's suicide!"

"We can't just leave her on her own!" Shirou shouted. "She's still hurt from her fight with Lancer earlier! And now she's up against that…Berserker!"

Sakura didn't reply at once, turning instead to look at the battlefield. She gritted her teeth at the sight of Saber trying to recover while Berserker glowered protectively on the other side of the battlefield, standing protectively in front of his Master. "_Damn it,_" she thought. "_Just how much damage did Saber take from her match with Lancer, that even though it's not showing on the surface, she's struggling against Berserker? I mean…well, yes, it's _**_Berserker_**_, which tend to have the highest raw strength among Servants, but still…_"

Sakura closed her eyes. "_Anything you can do, Archer?_" she asked.

_"I wish I could,_" the reply came. "_But Saber's hurt me pretty bad. In this fight, I'd be more hindrance than help._"

_"Damn it…depending on how much of a handicap Saber's under, at this rate…!_"

Sakura's thoughts were cut off as Illyasviel giggled, stepping out from behind Berserker. "It's pointless, Miss Tohsaka." She said. "No matter what you or big brother think or do, it won't matter."

"What?" Shirou asked while Sakura narrowed her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded, and Illyasviel giggled.

"Well you see," she began. "Saber's just no match for my Berserker. After all, he's the greatest hero of Greece, Heracles. You've heard of him, haven't you?"

"Heracles?" Sakura echoed in horror, Shirou likewise gasping in horrified recognition.

Illyasviel giggled again. "So you have heard of him!" she said with childish glee. "If so, then you know how this is going to end. Now, finish it, Berserker!"

"Saber!" Shirou shouted.

"Master, stay back!" Saber shouted as she stood, and holding her sword with both hands charged to meet Berserker.

Thunder boomed as Saber and Berserker's weapons met with sufficient force to violently displace the surrounding air, and then disengaging began exchanging blows one after another. But while Saber was initially able to hold her ground, Berserker was quickly able to take the initiative, and force Saber to struggle purely on defense.

"Tohsaka!" Shirou demanded. "We have to do something!"

"I know!" Sakura shot back. "Damn it…against Berserker, there's not much we can do, which means…damn it, this is the part which I hate the most about being a magus. Sempai, do you know any offensive spells?"

"…no…but now I wish I did."

"Don't be too hard on yourself." Sakura immediately said. "It's not really your fault. In any case, just stay here. I'll see what I can do."

"Huh? Hey wait…"

Magic circuits flashed across Sakura's body as she reinforced it, and without further words ran to one side and around the battlefield. Illyasviel's eyes narrowed as she followed Sakura's movements, turning away from where Saber and Berserker were still fighting.

And then pain was burning through Sakura's arm as she activated her crest, and bringing it up pointed her index finger at Illyasviel. Dark light gathered at her fingertip, and then erupted in a stream of dark projectiles. Any one of them would strike with enough force to cause bruising, and so many at once would cause significant trauma. And that did not factor in the debilitation curse that was part of the spell, with even a single projectile striking capable of putting down a grown man in bed for a few days.

Illyasviel just scoffed however, and gestured with an arm. The air in front of her shimmered, and the Finn shots splattered harmlessly against what appeared to be a shield spell. Undeterred, Sakura kept on firing, though any and all of her attacks simply fizzled out against Illyasviel's defenses.

"I'm impressed, Miss Tohsaka." Illyasviel remarked. "You'd actually hurt a child."

"You're a homunculus." Sakura said, finally breaking off. "You might look like a child, might even have the age of one, but you are no child. Normal rules and ways of things don't apply to you. And even if they did, Einzbern would never send an actual child as their Master."

"Good to hear you're taking me seriously." Illyasviel said with a bloodthirsty grin, before raising her own hand and pointing at Sakura. Light gathered at its tip, swelling and turning blinding bright. "Now this is getting fun!"

And then she fired, a ravening beam of energy that violently displaced the surrounding air with a thunderous roar. Illyasviel laughed even as the displaced air whipped through her hair, and the force of her own attack pushed her back against the ground. The unexpected turn in the battle caught even the Servants' attention, Saber and Berserker alike turning their heads to see.

"Son of a…!" Sakura swore as she jumped away to avoid the beam. Pointing at Illyasviel again, she fired off another barrage of Finn shots, which again just expended themselves against Illyasviel's defenses. Saber also recovered quicker than Berserker, and with a shout pushed him back, causing Berserker to stagger a couple of times.

She then charged in, striking twice against Berserker's torso, but to no effect beyond showers of sparks. Roaring loudly, Berserker struck down, Saber jumping back to avoid his fist and barely raising her sword in time to block the follow-up with Berserker's axe.

"Saber!" Shirou shouted as Saber cried out as she went flying, and Berserker charged in with a roar. And then thunder was booming across the battlefield, and then again once more, as Illyasviel fired off shot after shot. "Tohsaka!"

"You're pretty quick on your feet." Illyasviel conceded, before sweeping a hand through her hair and tugging several of them free. "Let's try something else, shall we?"

Sakura blinked and watched as Illyasviel wove her hair with her hands, all the while whispering an aria. And then Sakura's eyes widened as several constructs arose from Illyasviel's hands, and then flew at her at high speed. "Let's have some more fun, Miss Tohsaka!" Illyasviel shouted, and the constructs opened fire.

Once again, Sakura was swearing as the Einzbern constructs fired off energy blasts that blew small craters into the ground, each clearly more powerful than her own Finn shots. They might not have a curse, but who needed a curse when you could simply blow holes clean through Human bodies?

Illyasviel laughed. "You _are _pretty quick on your feet, Miss Tohsaka." She said. "But if this all you've got…"

The homunculus trailed off as Sakura threw a glowing gem at the constructs, before jumping back several meters. The constructs flew clear…

…and then Illyasviel was gasping in shock and surprise as the gem didn't explode as much as it imploded. A black, no, that wasn't right…a sphere completely devoid of any light just seemed to appear in the air, barely a few inches across, but it sucked in everything around it with ravenous hunger, enough that even as far away as she was, Illyasviel could feel her hair and ever herself being pulled towards it.

Illyasviel's constructs were right next to the void and stood no chance. The instant it opened and they were pulled right in, their connection to Illyasviel simply ceasing to be, and all attempts by the homunculus to reopen them to no avail.

And then the void seemed to collapse in on itself, before simply closing. "Impossible…" Illyasviel breathed, staring at Sakura in disbelief. "Absolutely impossible…an event horizon…a quantum singularity…this is absolutely impossible!"

She pointed a finger accusingly at Sakura. "How?" she demanded. "Your family is only six generations old! You shouldn't have the ability to do that at all!"

Sakura scoffed. "Well, that's for me to know and for you to find out." She said, before pulling out several more gems. Holding them between her fingers, she held them up, Illyasviel's eyes narrowing as she sensed more of the nascent tears in reality nestled inside each of the gems. "My tutor always did say I was a mass of contradictions. And first among those contradictions is how someone so…uncomfortable, with being a magus is also a first class one."

Illyasviel scoffed. "Shut up, Miss Tohsaka." She sneered. "It's fine if you don't want to tell me. I'll just crush you and bring you back home, and just cut what I want to know out of you."

With a snarl, Illyasviel raised her hand, orbs of light appearing around her. They swelled and grew brighter before they erupted, lancing out beams of pure energy. Sakura threw her gems, voids imploding in reality and actually _bending _the beams as they were pulled into the event horizons, and opening a path through Illyasviel's barrage that Sakura charged in through.

Finn shots rapid-fired as she closed, Illyasviel remaking her constructs and then binding them into a sword. She clumsily swung out as Sakura closed, Sakura dodging to fire Finn shots at point-blank range.

Again, they splattered harmlessly against Illyasviel's barrier, and then Sakura was reopening the distance as her voids closed. Again, Illyasviel charged her beams and fired, Sakura again opening more voids to neutralize them, but her attempted charge was cut short as Saber screamed in pain, and Berserker roared in triumph.

Eyes turned to see Saber flying through the air, blood splattering out on the ground as she landed near-helplessly not far from her Master. "Saber!" Shirou shouted, only to be held off from approaching at a raised hand from his Servant.

Illyasviel pushed the hair from her eyes as Sakura's voids closed, and she turned to her Servant. "Finish it, Berserker!" she ordered. "Kill Saber before she finishes regenerating!"

With a loud roar, Berserker charged forward, quickly closing the distance in but a few moments, axe rising to crush Saber before she could recover. "Damn you!" Sakura snarled, charging at Illyasviel with gems glowing between her fingers, the homunculus recharging her beams with a hateful look on her face.

And then a boy's scream of agony filled the air, as blood splattered into the night. "Master, no!" Saber shouted, Shirou having moved with superhuman speed, reaching his Servant and pushing her out of the way in time. And in his turn, was struck and sent flying by Berserker's axe, nearly torn in half by the force of impact.

Sakura and Illyasviel alike stared in shock, the former's gems and the latter's beams dimming to nothingness as a result. "He…why…" Illyasviel stammered out. "Why would he…"

And then she blinked, glaring at Sakura who took a stance, her gems beginning to glow once more. "Enough!" Illyasviel snapped. "I'm bored. Berserker, let's go home."

Berserker snarled his acknowledgement before fading into astral form, and then pausing, Illyasviel turned her head to glance at Sakura. She made to speak, but narrowing her eyes, seemingly thought better of it and resuming her walk vanished into the night.

Sakura made a frustrated sound, and then glanced in Shirou's direction. "Damn it," she swore, before running over to help. "Sempai…"

* * *

_"When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a Hero of Justice."_

_Dressed in yukata and holding watermelon slices, father and son sat on the veranda, looking out over the yard in the midsummer night, the stars sparkling in a clear sky. The boy glanced at his father in surprise at what the older man had said, and was struck by the sad smile and expression on his face._

_"You sound like you've given up." He finally said._

_The man didn't answer for a while. And then lowering his face from the stars, the man gave his answer. "Saving someone means not saving someone else." He said, before glancing at the boy, still with that sad smile on his face._

_The boy met his father's gaze for a few moments, and then smiling, turned away to look back out at the stars. "Is that so?" he asked. "But, you're an adult, and adults usually give up on their dreams. That's why, for your sake, I'll make your dream come true, and become a Hero of Justice in your place."_

_The man smiled ever so wider, and also looked back out at the stars. And then lowering his face, the man slowly closed his eyes. "I see." He said softly. "I'm glad to hear that."_

_He didn't say anything more, and after a few moments, the boy glanced curiously at his father. He stared at the sad yet peaceful smile on his father's face, and at the way he just sat there. And then after a few moments, the boy found himself blinking back his tears._

_He knew that his father would never open his eyes again._

Shirou gasped awake, blinking spots away as his eyes adjusted to the low light of the room he was in. It took a few moments to register that the bed he was in was bigger and softer than what he was used to, and indeed, it was no Japanese futon but a western-style bed. And one with a canopy at that.

"What…where…am I?" Shirou stammered out as he stirred, groaning as he forced his stiff body into a sitting position, and forcing the sheets off of him. Rubbing at his abdomen, he blinked at the strange sensation, and pulling up his shirt blinked again at the sight of the bandages wrapped tightly around it. And then the memories began filtering back, causing Shirou's eyes to go wide.

The fight at school between Lancer and…Archer, wasn't it…

…getting stabbed by Lancer after being noticed…

…coming home after being healed by a helpful stranger…

…fighting Lancer's attempts to finish the job…

…summoning and meeting Saber…

…Saber's fight with Lancer, seeing her get stabbed, and meeting Sakura Tohsaka afterward…

…going to Kotomine Church and learning about the Holy Grail War…

…and then…the fight…the fight between Berserker and Saber…

Shirou winced at the memory, clutching at his side as he remembered the utter agony of nearly getting ripped in half before being sent flying. "_But,_" he thought at the same time. "_Did I…was Saber…is she safe? What about Tohsaka? And…who brought me here, and patched me up? Was it them? Or…?_"

Shaking his head to clear it, Shirou got up and after stretching his sore and stiff muscles, went off to go looking for either Saber or Sakura. If he was alive here and now, they had to be too, right? Wouldn't that Einzbern girl and her Berserker have killed them otherwise? Given the way the battle had gone, Shirou strongly suspected that the little girl was not the merciful type. If it weren't for the fact that she was a Master and thus a magus herself, he'd have found it disturbing.

But, with magi being what they were…

…grim resignation was all he could feel about the matter.

* * *

Any prospect of wandering around the large mansion – which in hindsight was probably rude and ill-advised (this was a magus household after all) – quickly came to a halt as Shirou came out of his room. Immediately intercepted by a maid, he was brought down to the dining room, and found himself being seated at a table with Sakura, Saber, and an older woman that was probably Sakura's mom.

"So," Sakura's mom began. "This is Shirou Emiya."

"Yes," Sakura said while replacing her teacup on its saucer. "Emiya-sempai, meet my mother Aoi Tohsaka. Mom, this is Shirou Emiya, my senior from school…and apparently, a fellow Master in this war."

Aoi nodded. "Nice to meet you, Mister Emiya." She said with a small but warm smile.

"It's nice to meet you too, ma'am." Shirou said with a weak smile.

And then Shirou was glancing at Saber, who looked back at him from the corner of her eyes. There was something…off, about her…and then it hit him. She wasn't wearing her armored dress from the previous night, but a modest, long-sleeved and collared blouse of white with a blue ribbon tied around her neck, over a modest, knee-length skirt of blue.

"Hmm?" Sakura said, following Shirou's line of sight. "Ah yes, Saber. Sorry if I went too far, but I thought that maybe she'd want or need something more comfortable to wear, so I gave her some of mine after we brought you here last night."

"Oh I see." Shirou said with a nod, and looking back at Sakura. "It's alright, and thanks."

Sakura nodded. "Also," Shirou continued. "Thanks not just for patching me up, but letting me stay the night here at your house."

"You're welcome." Sakura said with another nod. "That said, you nearly got yourself killed by Saber. Seriously, what were you thinking?"

Shirou winced. "Sorry," he said. "Well not really, I just…I don't know. But when I saw her covered in blood like that, and Berserker going for the kill, I just…"

Shirou trailed off, again glancing at Saber, who kept her eyes away. Sakura followed Shirou's line of sight again, and then with a sigh waved him off. "Don't apologize," she said. "Just because it's stupid and suicidal, it doesn't mean it was wrong. I could even say it's admirable, that you had the courage and the heart to pull it off."

"…thanks…I think…"

"More importantly," Sakura said after a moment and a sip of her tea. "What do you plan to do from here on out? Just like you said with Kirei last night, are you really going to fight in this war to keep someone who can't be trusted with it from gaining the Grail?"

"I am." Shirou said with a nod and absolute conviction.

Sakura stared into Shirou's eyes for a long moment, Shirou meeting her gaze without flinching, and then she sighed, and smiled and nodded at Shirou.

"Well," Sakura said. "It's a good enough reason to fight, I can't deny that. And it's certainly better than fighting for wishes, which are selfish things in themselves."

Shirou blinked and then nodded. "That they are." He said. For a moment, he wondered whether or not he should ask about her own wish, but decided against it. They weren't so close that he could ask what was clearly such a private question.

"Well then," Sakura said, looking at her mom who nodded and then gestured at the maids. "Let's have some breakfast first, and then we'll have the car take you home so you can prepare for school. We still have plenty of time from the look of things."

"Oh I wouldn't want to…"

Sakura laughed and waved him off, Aoi smiling at him. "It's no trouble at all." She said with a smile. "Sure you stayed the night, but if that's the case, we can't just let you leave without giving you at least one good meal otherwise we can't be said to be good hosts."

"Well, if you put it that way…" Shirou said with a weak laugh. "But driving me to my house…"

"You'll end up going to school late if we don't lend you the car." Aoi pointed out. "Just to get you home in time to prepare, and still have time left to get to school on your own."

"But…"

"We insist, Mister Emiya."

Shirou sighed, and then getting to his feet bowed formally. "Thank you very much." He said.

Sakura and Saber raised eyebrows in surprise, while Aoi laughed with approval. "Such a polite young man." She said. "That's good to see."

Shirou didn't know what to say to that, though he quickly moved on as the maids brought in food and drink. Now that he was seated at the table and had accepted the invitation, he might as well enjoy what was being offered.

* * *

Shirou stepped out the toilet, closing the door quietly behind him. Turning, he found himself coming to an abrupt halt as he found himself facing his own and clearly displeased Servant.

"If I may Master," Saber began. "You should not push yourself so much, considering your injuries during the previous night."

"…I…don't think I'm pushing myself right now…" Shirou uncertainly said.

"Perhaps not," Saber conceded. "Though speaking of the previous night…pardon the discourtesy, but I must speak of your actions then."

Shirou blinked at her sharp tone and expression, and after a moment Saber continued. "I must ask that you not repeat your actions from the previous night here on out." She said sternly. "Battle is my responsibility, not yours. Whether it is to ensure the granting of our desires, or to preserve your life, I would prefer if you entrust it to me, and to focus on what else you can do instead. There is nothing to be gained from actions such as those during the previous night."

Shirou glared at that. "Hey now," he said. "I understand what you're saying, but don't tell me you actually think helping people is wrong."

Saber looked taken aback by that, and with a cough Shirou pulled himself together. "Anyway," he said. "Let's move on to something else. As I understand it, the Holy Grail War is fought between seven Servants and Masters, all so the winner can wish make a wish for the Holy Grail to grant. Thing is…Father Kotomine mentioned 'winner'. As in singular…"

"The overseer is technically correct." Saber said with a nod. "But I see what you mean, and it seems he was rather vague in his wording, or perhaps he expected the context to be understood in the sense that the war is fought between seven pairs of Masters and Servants."

Shirou stood silent for a moment, and briefly lowered his face. "Then," he said. "You're also fighting in this so you can have your wish granted by the Holy Grail."

"That is so." Saber said with a nod. "As I said just moments ago, it is my role to ensure our desires are granted, by fighting on the battlefield as your Servant."

Again, Shirou paused in thought for a moment, and then he sighed. "Alright," he said. "I have to you warn you though, if you're going to fight this war as my Servant then your, well our, chances of winning are rather low."

"Are you saying that you lack the will to fight?"

"Of course not," Shirou said, walking past Saber a few steps before turning to face her, Saber doing likewise. "It's just that…well, I…"

Shirou sighed and shook his head. "_I need to talk with Tohsaka some more about this._" He thought. "_I'm missing out on a lot of details about how this 'war' works, something that priest really should have told me about. Or Tohsaka herself for that matter…then again, I probably shouldn't judge. Between everything's that happened, it must have slipped her mind, and she does have to get ready for school herself, so there's not much time to talk this morning._"

Shirou sighed again. "It's just that," he began. "Well, I didn't really plan to join or even know about this whole business so, well, I wasn't really expecting much less was prepared for it, if you get what I mean."

Saber nodded. "I understand." She said. "If so however, then I must simply put additional effort on my part to make up for your deficiencies."

Shirou didn't answer for a few moments, and then he sighed. "I see." He said. "I should have expected that. And I guess it's to be expected, but even so…"

Saber blinked in surprise as Shirou gave a bow of apology. "Sorry," he said. "Even though it wasn't deliberate on my part, I've still placed a burden on you by accidentally summoning you, and in a way disappointed your expectations."

"No, it's alright." Saber said, taken aback. "As it was an accident, I cannot truly put blame on you, even more so given the events surrounding my summoning. Instead, we should focus our efforts on making the best of this outcome, and indeed, it can be said I've put equal burden on you, by involving you in this Holy Grail War."

Shirou blinked at Saber's words, and then rising smiled while rubbing the back of his head. "Good point, I guess." He said. "Though, it's more Lancer's fault than either of ours."

Saber blinked, and then smiled and nodded herself. "Indeed it is." She said.

Shirou made an agreeing sound, and then drawing himself up nodded to himself. "Alright," he said. "I'm still not sure how, but if you're going to put additional effort on your end, then I guess I'll have to do the same on mine, don't I?"

_I'm still not sure if I can talk some more with Tohsaka about this, or if she can much less would help, but it's worth a shot. Or is it? She might have helped me and even let me into her home, but she's still a magus. I'm going to have think about this some more. That said…_

Shirou laughed to himself softly to Saber's surprise, and then patted his side, feeling the bandages underneath. "_She doesn't seem like a bad person at all."_ He thought.

* * *

A/N

Sakura gets to show off her abilities here, and even forcing Illya to fight seriously. Though considering Berserker was utterly dominating Saber, she couldn't really have pulled off a win, even if she had killed Illya. That would probably just have caused Berserker to go on a roaring rampage of revenge, which those present likely would not have survived.


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 6

"Well isn't this a rare sight?" Shinji remarked as he walked up to Shirou in their classroom. "Mister Optimistic looks to be down this morning. What happened, Shirou? Bad night? Did you ask someone out and get rejected? Got dumped by a secret girlfriend?"

"No…nothing like that." Shirou said, lifting his head from where it was resting on folded arms on his desk. "Thanks for the concern though."

Shinji hummed before smirking and leaning down. "Got chewed out by Miss Fujimura, didn't you?" he asked in a whisper.

"How did you…oh, right…vice-captain…"

Shinji laughed and patted Shirou on the back, all the while perching on the nearest desk. "Not only did you leave before finishing the clean-up of the _kyuudo _clubroom," he said with a grin. "You left all the cleaning stuff lying around, and left the clubroom open and unlocked. What's more you actually came home earlier today in a car and accompanied by a pretty blonde foreigner…Shirou, I underestimated you."

"Damn it Shinji, shut up." Shirou snapped. "Everyone can hear!"

Shinji snorted. "Let them." He said, looking around with a challenging expression. Belatedly, Shirou realized all this time people had been staring at and whispering about him, though at the look on Shinji's face, the rest of the class quickly found themselves busy with other stuff. "You know how quick and noisy the school rumor mill is, so the story's pretty much all over the place. And typically, everyone's a hypocrite about it, now that you aren't as innocent as you've always seemed."

"And you, Shinji?" Shirou asked wearily. "What do you think?"

Shinji responded by bopping Shirou on the head. The redhead yelped, and looked unhappily at Shinji who crossed his arms with a smirk. "Sorry…but that's my obligation as _kyuudo _team vice-captain." He said. "Just don't do it again, Emiya."

"Is that all?"

"As a friend though," Shinji said with a wink and a thumbs-up. "Nice."

Shirou groaned and let his face fall back into his arms. "It's not…it's not like what you and everyone else think…" he murmured.

"Yeah, I'm sure there's an interesting story behind it." Shinji agreed with a nod. "But you don't need to justify yourself to me. Far from me to talk about running around with pretty ladies…so, I've got your back in this."

"…thanks, Shinji."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Shinji asked with a shrug, and stepping off the desk he'd been perched on. "Besides, the rumors aren't nearly as bad as you think."

"Really?"

"Well, the other boys _are_ a bunch of hypocrites." Shinji admitted. "Jealous no doubt, that you managed to land yourself a blonde foreigner…the girls though…expect to find yourself suddenly much more interesting to them."

"…great…just great…"

Shinji glanced at his wristwatch and made to walk away. "That said," he began. "You might want to avoid Mitsuzuri for a while. She's not too happy with you right now."

"Same with my big sister."

Shinji laughed and patted Shirou sympathetically on the back. "Hang in there, Emiya." He said. "I'm sure all the ruckus will pass in a bit."

"Right…thanks anyway…"

"You're welcome."

* * *

"Huh?" Sakura asked in surprise. "Emiya-sempai? Left the _kyuudo _clubroom unfinished and unlocked? Spent the night with a rich blonde foreigner? Seriously?"

Sakura's classmates giggled. "Yeah, that's what all the news is about." One of them said. "Who would have thought someone so…plain-looking, and acting so innocent and old-fashioned all this time, could land himself a rich blonde foreigner for a girlfriend?"

"And you know how those foreign girls are like, right?" another one of Sakura's classmates asked.

"Yeah, I know!" the first one said. "Makes you think just how…gifted, Emiya-sempai could be."

"He has to be if a rich blonde foreigner spent the night with him." A third girl said.

"Yeah, you're right! He can't be small or inexperienced if that's the case."

"That's right!"

"Absolutely!"

As the rest of her classmates gossiped away, Sakura just stared in disbelief. "_What…the…hell?_" she thought. "_Archer, am I dreaming?_"

"_No._" the Servant replied. "_You're definitely awake. My guess is, someone saw Emiya and Saber get dropped off at the former's house by your car earlier this morning, and word's gotten around. As for the unfinished clubroom…well, I guess that answers the question why Emiya was at school so late last night. He was cleaning it, and with everything that's happened, he never got around to finish or clean up afterwards. Coupled with this morning's developments…well, it's as you can see and hear._"

Fighting the urge to palm her face, Sakura swept her eyes across the classroom, reinforcing her ears to pick up the gossip. "_…I'm surrounded by idiots._" She thought after a few moments.

Archer silently laughed at that. "_It could be worse._" He pointed. "_At least it's just typical high school gossip and whatnot. Had things been different, the stories going around might be closer to what's really going on at night._"

"_Fair enough,_" Sakura conceded. "_Still…I don't like this. I don't like sempai getting tarred without good reason. Once I figure out who's behind this…well, we'll see._"

"_Going to kill someone?_"

"_No…_" Sakura thought. "_I'm just going to make them the focus of a humiliating, public spectacle. That ought to take the limelight off sempai._"

"_I see. Though, you'll have to find out who it is first._"

"_Exactly…shouldn't be too hard…I hope…_"

Archer's only response was a silent, telepathic snort.

* * *

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! SHIIIIIIIROOOOOOOOOOOUUUU!" Taiga Fujimura yelled with exaggerated grief and regret as she grabbed her surrogate little brother during lunchbreak and began to drag him away, all the while ignoring his protests, the curious and amused looks and whispering from everyone else. "I'M SO SORRY!"

"Big…sis…what are you…?" Shirou gasped out as Taiga dragged him to an empty classroom, and then Taiga let go…only for Shirou to hurriedly close the door as Taiga frantically and repeatedly bowed in apology multiple times. He was already the subject of so many wild, fantastic, and frankly _embarrassing _(not to mentioned completely erroneous) stories. He did _not _need his schoolmates to see _this _and add more trouble to what he was already dealing with.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Taiga babbled out. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"BIG SIS!" Shirou yelled, and with a yelp, Taiga jolted and came back to her senses. "Seriously, what's wrong with you? What are you apologizing for?"

"Well…you see…" Taiga said while poking her fingers together. "Remember what happened earlier this morning…about you coming home with that blonde foreigner in that sleek black car…and me getting angry over it…"

"…yeah?" Shirou asked with a sinking feeling in the bottom of his stomach.

"Well…I came to school in a really bad mood…" Taiga fumbled. "So when a fellow teacher asked why…I kind of told them all about it, and so the story got out…I'm really sorry!"

Shirou sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "So you're the reason why everyone's been looking at and talking funny about me today." He said.

"I'm really sorry!" Taiga repeated with another. "I mean…it doesn't mean I'm letting you off the hook for what you did last night, but I really should have kept it private and not let it get out. Forgive me please, Shirou?"

Shirou sighed again. "It's fine." He said. "It's just gossip, high school gossip even, so it's not really a problem. I'm sure once something else juicy appears, they'll forget all about me to focus on that, and even if something juicy doesn't show up, they'll forget and move on once they get bored soon enough. So…no real harm done."

Taiga laughed weakly while rubbing the back of her head. "Yeah…I guess so…" she admitted. "So…we're good? You don't blame me for dragging you into the school rumor mill? You won't just vanish and go do delinquent things in the night again? You'll cook really delicious food for me again?"

Shirou blinked, and then laughing, shook his head. "That's just like you, big sis." He said. "But yeah, I forgive you, and no, I don't blame you for stirring up all these rumors about me. And no, I won't just up and 'vanish' again like last night, and yes, I'll cook your favorite meals again, big sis."

Taiga yelled in delight before pulling Shirou into a tight hug. "THANK YOU, SHIROU!" she yelled, before her eyes widened and she let him go in realization. "Oh yeah, one more thing before I forget again."

"And what's that?"

"That blonde foreigner you spent last night with," Taiga said, looking strict and with her hands on her hips. "If something happens, you _will _take responsibility, won't you?"

"Of course I will…wait, what?"

* * *

"_…so the tiger was behind it?_" Sakura silently asked.

"_Looks like it._" Archer replied. "_Still planning to humiliate her?_"

"_Hmm…very tempting…_" Sakura said. "_However, it's not really her fault. I mean, she did talk too much, but her temper was frayed, she practically humiliated herself to apologize to Emiya-sempai, and…this incident, is practically the kind of thing that happens to people with her personality. So…I'm going to have to tone it down._"

"_…what are you planning, Sakura?_" Archer asked.

"_I won't humiliate her._" Sakura said. "_Like I already said, it's not really her fault. But she did start this whole mess, so it should be up to her to end it, one way or another. Even if it means I'll have to nudge her in the right direction._"

"_I see._"

Sakura's thoughts fell silent as she finished her notes for the next few moments, and then closing her notebook and capping her pen, opened her desk to put them both inside. And then she rummaged through her desk, followed by her bag, and finally pulled out a half-inch square index card. "_This will do._" She thought, the idea tinged with mischief.

Archer invisibly watched with bemused curiosity as Sakura drew a skull and crossbones with a felt pen on top of the card, before getting an ordinary pen and began to write below. "_From President Death,_" he telepathically read aloud. "_If you don't pass this on to one hundred people in two days, you are going to die._"

There was a moment of telepathic silence, and then Archer sighed. "_A chain letter, really?_" he asked.

"_You can't beat the classics._" Sakura shot back.

"_You don't actually think she'll fall for it, do you?_" Archer asked.

"_We shall see._" Sakura replied, placing the letter in her pocket and getting up. A moment later and her crest flashed to life under her sleeve, augmenting a mental interference spell to strongly nudge people _not _to notice her as she passed by. Making her way to the faculty room, Sakura slipped in, and heading to Taiga's desk, slipped the chain letter into one of her lesson plans.

"_This is not going to work._" Archer said.

"_Oh, but I think it will._" Sakura countered, retreating to stand in one corner of the room, and began to wait. The minutes ticked by, one, two, four, eight, sixteen, until finally Taiga entered the faculty room humming cheerfully to herself after a satisfying lunch. She returned to her desk, clearly to gather her things for the next class. And then opening her lesson plan, noticed the chain letter.

"What's this?" Taiga asked aloud as she picked it up to read. And then she was screaming, before running around and holding the chain letter aloft.

"_…no…way…_" Archer silently said, tinged with disbelief. There was no denying it, what with Taiga frantically running around and asking her fellow teachers to help her write one hundred letters in two days.

"_See?_" Sakura said while turning to leave. "_I told you it would work._"

"_…I can see that._"

* * *

"Medb…Medb…Medb...Medb…Medb…"

The bewitched crowd of men of all ages, ranging from mere teenagers rebelliously spending a night out in the city, to middle-aged men finished in life marched out onto the street from the bars and restaurants of this block in one of Fuyuki's entertainment districts. Bounded fields shimmered to those with the eyes to see, keeping those outside from entering past a certain point, or even noticing what was happening inside.

Corpses of men and women alike lay amidst pools of blood inside the bars and restaurants, proof of their 'devotion' to their new mistress. Rider smiled with satisfaction within her chariot, basking in the adoring chanting of her name.

It had been a simple thing, really. Her…Master, for lack of a better title, would place bounded fields around a block at the peak of activity within. She would then go from one bar and restaurant to another, offering her mead to all who would accept it, and those that did would be asked to prove their devotion to her, by ending all those who had refused to partake of her mead.

In so doing, the grain would be winnowed from the chaff, and while more work needed to be done to make them worthy members of her small but steadily growing army, things were going well. Soon, she would have what she needed to simply crush or at least tie down the other Masters, and while she _may _not be able to defeat the other Servants on her own…

…well, a Servant without a Master was like a house with a foundation riddled with cracks. Apply enough pressure, and all she had to do was watch it crumble. Assuming of course, they could not simply be made to devote themselves to her.

After all, who wouldn't want to be devoted to such a beautiful and _generous _queen such as her? Especially since as Heroic Spirits, they had since proven worthy of her most prized gift. At the thought, Rider smiled wider, even as the crowd continued to chant her name.

"Medb…Medb…Medb…Medb…Medb…"

Smiling even wider, Rider raised a hand, the chanting turning to ecstatic cheers and shouts of devotion. "_Yes,_" she thought. "_It is good to be queen._"

Of course, not everyone present thought that way. Atop a nearby building, a familiar watched with beady eyes the sea of bewitched insanity below, and through it, its maker also watched with distaste.

Elsewhere, the greatest and most powerful magus in the city also watched, not through lowly familiars, but through an ancient spell lost to modern magi, which allowed her to view distant places with but a thought. A beautiful face marked by violet hair and elfin ears twisted with contempt at such…whorish, means of acquiring…devotion.

And of course, a certain blonde watched it all through the solitude of time, looking down on events as they and as they _might _progress as a man might view a chess game in progress. He watched as the piece marked as the Eternal Lady gathered pawns around it, and reacted with distaste.

Truly, if such a figure were to reach the end game and before his person dare seek to claim the treasure of this land…

…then the Human race was doomed.

But not all hope was lost, not when the figure of the King of Knights, one of the few pieces he truly valued, was in play on the board. Yes, perhaps not all hope was lost, after all.

* * *

"Well," Sakura said while searching her library for a book on Irish mythology. "Thanks to a familiar, I now know who's behind the killings in all those restaurants and bars and other places like them."

"Oh?" Archer asked from where he was leaning on a nearby wall. "Do tell."

"Judging from the chanting of her…of all the men she's bewitched…her name is Medb…"

"…I see." Archer said with a slow nod. "Yes, based on the information from the Grail…Queen Medb of Connacht, the so-called Eternal Lady, with the class of Rider."

"Yes…" Sakura said while going through what her reference said. "According to this, Queen Medb was particularly famous for having married numerous kings, lords, and heroes, or even just became their lovers, all to expand her power and influence. In particular, she was a mortal enemy of Cu Chulainn, and was the one who set into motion the events that would ultimately lead to his death."

Archer was silent, and after a moment Sakura closed her book. "Something you want to say?" he asked.

"Sounds like we're dealing with a successful Cleopatra here." She answered.

"You sound like you don't think much of Cleopatra." Archer remarked.

"I don't." Sakura admitted. "I don't dispute her motives, and while I don't…agree, with her methods, in context they were the correct ones."

"But…?"

"She made the wrong choices." Sakura said. "Seriously? Challenging Augustus Caesar? Did she really think she had a chance?"

"It's not like she had the advantage of hindsight going for her."

"Maybe," Sakura conceded. "But she also made the mistake of choosing Mark Anthony as her partner, and who was a notorious drunk and bankrupt. She should just have compromised with Augustus from the very beginning, or allied with the Parthians. Either would have produced a better outcome than partnering with Mark Anthony."

"…as interesting as this historical debate is," Archer said after a moment and a sigh. "We're getting off-topic. Rider?"

"Ah yes…" Sakura said, reopening her book. "Let's see…um…this might take a while. It's a pretty long legend…so…yeah…let me read for a bit."

"Take your time." Archer said, pushing off the wall to examine the library around him.

Sakura nodded absentmindedly, and walking over to a desk sat down and began to read, studying the legend of the Queen of Connacht. As she busied herself, Archer continued his examinations, from the rich, handwoven carpets on the floor, to the gold-embossed wallpaper and bronze wall ornaments, the handcrafted furniture and shelves, and even a number of handwritten texts on the shelves themselves.

And there were portraits as well, oils for the most part, inside frames decorated with gold leaf, as well as pictures, ranging from black and whites from the early twentieth century, to colored ones from the later twentieth century onward. And it was the latter that drew Archer's attention the most, in particular the most recent ones.

Two of them there were, two baby girls, but one never showed past a certain age, while the other grew into who was clearly the young woman now reading not far away. Archer narrowed his eyes as a suspicion came to mind, and turned to Sakura. Before he could speak though, Sakura spoke first.

"If she's a Rider," Sakura said. "Then she probably has that chariot from which she commanded her armies against Ulster's during the wars between her kingdom and theirs. No idea how powerful it might be though."

"Speaking of Ulster though…" Archer said while walking closer. "I had my suspicions as to who Lancer is. Suspicions fed by a certain remark made by Shirou Emiya last night."

"Oh? Who and what then?"

"In reverse order," Archer said with a small smile. "He mentioned that Lancer had wounded Saber with a wound that was having difficulty healing. Considering Saber's abilities, that's a mean feat…and brings to mind a certain Noble Phantasm which could just prove my suspicions right."

Sakura smiled and slouched languidly against her desk. "Come on Archer," she said. "Stop playing around. Tell me who you think Lancer is."

"Why, Cu Chulainn himself of course."

There was a moment of silence, and then Sakura burst out laughing. "Oh, now this is just perfect." She said with a grin. "If we play our cards right, we just might be able to get Rider and Lancer to kill each other. Take two pieces off the board, and at little cost to us."

"I like the way you think, Sakura."

Sakura smirked, and then shared a laugh with her Servant.

* * *

"What's this?"

Kuzuki Souichirou took the offered amulet from his Servant, and regarded it closely even as he asked his question. "Just a little charm." Caster replied. "Something to keep you from being bewitched by a certain whore running amok in the city below."

"A certain whore?" Kuzuki echoed.

"Yes," Caster said with a nod. "I have succeeded in determining Rider's identity and plans. She is Medb of Connacht, an Irish queen from ancient times, and with a reputation for entrancing men with her feminine wiles and even her own body, the better to bend and bind them to her will. And she is apparently building an army."

"How so?" Kuzuki asked.

"She uses one of her Noble Phantasms, 'My Red Mead', to bewitch men into devoting themselves to her." Caster explained. "From what I can see, it has a compulsion on it for men to accept her invitation and drink, and while it can be resisted, typically most men are too weak to do so and simply fall for her charms."

"I see." Kuzuki said with a nod, before tying Caster's charm around a wrist. "While I have some confidence in my ability to resist on purely willpower, it would be best not to take chances. Furthermore, how is she planning to use such…brainwashed, individuals as an army?"

"I do not know." Caster admitted, and tapping her chin in thought. "Certainly, against Servants their combat value is virtually nonexistent, and against magi – even the paltry ones of this dull age – very low, but that can be changed."

"You think her Master will augment their abilities?" Kuzuki asked. "Increase their value and effectiveness as cannon fodder in such a way?"

"Yes." Caster said with a nod. "It does seem such is their plan. How though, remains questionable."

Kuzuki hummed in thought. "And how do you propose to deal with Rider then, Caster?" he asked.

"I do not know yet." Caster said. "Rider might not have the raw power of Berserker or the overall superior abilities of the three Servant Knights, but she has potent Noble Phantasms. And she too is of the Age of Gods. It would be wise to take more measure of her before moving against her."

_And if I can help it, you will **not **come within reach of that whore and her wiles._

_I'll see her dead first._

"Prudent…and I agree." Kuzuki said with a nod. "Focus on finding out more of Rider and her Master, and prepare a coherent plan."

"Yes, Master."

"Nevertheless," Kuzuki continued. "We should also make certain not to get too fixated on Rider, and in so doing leave ourselves vulnerable to the five other Servants."

"Yes, it is as you say, Master."

* * *

"There's just one thing bothering me."

"What's that?"

Archer looked at a very unhappy Sakura. "Rider," she said. "She's building an army. She's already conditioned them to be loyal and devoted to her, somehow, and her Master will probably use some kind of magecraft to make them more effective fighters."

"And?" Archer pressed. "What's the problem?"

"The problem is at this rate we'll be forced to kill dozens of people at least, hundreds at most." Sakura snarled. "I'm not a murderer, Archer. Fighting against magi is one thing, kill or be killed and all that. I don't like it, but it's something I can't deny as much as I hate it. And other magi don't have the excuse of being…bewitched, when they go for my head. Rider's army though…"

"You want to know if we can somehow snap them out of whatever spell Rider's used to bind them to her?"

"Yes?"

"Hmm…if nothing else, killing her might work." Archer said after a moment's thought. "What would really be problematic would be the…improvements, her Master might use on their slave-soldiers. We'll have to reverse those too. And if we can't…"

"…I can't just kill them!"

"You might have to." Archer said. "Depending on what's been done to them, you can't just let them go, even with altered memories. The complications further down the line would be problematic, and at worst might bring the Association down on your head."

Sakura slammed a fist against the table in rage. "God damn…I hate this war." She spat.

Archer said nothing. "…if it can't be helped," Sakura finally said. "Then fine. But _only _after I know it's impossible to reverse whatever Rider's Master might do to them."

"Fair enough, I suppose."

Sakura nodded, but then Archer narrowed his eyes. "Just one more thing though," he said.

"What is it?"

"Worry about freeing them _after _we've defeated Rider." He said. "Otherwise, you might just end up getting killed. I know that since you're a…atypical, magus, an appeal to your family's legacy and the need to keep it going likely won't work…"

"Huh…observant, aren't you?"

"…then I'll appeal to your family in a different way. You have a mother. You wouldn't want her to be all alone, would you?"

"…no. No, I don't."

"Good," Archer said with a nod. "That's why, don't hesitate when the time comes. Otherwise, you'll die, and your mother will mourn another child."

There was a moment of profound silence, and then Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Who told you about my sister?" she asked.

"No one." Archer said. "It was a guess…and you just confirmed it."

Sakura made a sound of disgust. "Tricky, aren't you?" she asked. "Don't go too far now, you tan bastard."

Archer smiled, at the memory of another woman addressing him as such. Outwardly it was an insult, but inwardly…

"I'll keep that in mind." He said.

"See that you do." Sakura snapped. "…but you're right. My mother…she's mourned a dead child once already. And I wouldn't want her to mourn for another one…fine. I'll kill Rider's slave-soldiers if I have to, and as many as I need. But still: God damn…I hate this war."

* * *

A/N

Some comedy to lighten things up from the previous chapters' seriousness…

…and we go completely off the rails into new territory. Sakura seems a bit judgmental, no? But personally, I think it's not completely out of character for her. Remember that in canon, one of Sakura Matou's issues with regard to Shirou was that she considered herself 'too dirty' from what Matou did and were doing to her to be worthy of him. The issue was probably overblown and deliberately made so by Zouken's manipulations…

…but the point is, I think he only nurtured what was already there. That is, Sakura – Tohsaka or Matou – is the kind of girl who would reserve her purity for someone she loves, and with it long gone, Sakura Matou thinks herself unworthy of anyone and which would be something Zouken would take advantage of to better manipulate and put her under his thumb.

In Sakura Tohsaka's case though, such a way of thinking on her part results in a disparaging opinion of Rider, i.e. Queen Medb, who is famous for being…well, a successful Cleopatra. Sakura Tohsaka might concede – as shown above – in the context of the times it was a valid and probably the only real option a woman might have to wield power (though I'm sure Boudica and Altria would disagree), but she still doesn't like it, and unknowingly agrees with both Caster and Gilgamesh's assessment of Medb as 'whorish'.


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 7

_"You can't be serious._"

"Oh really?" Sakura said with a clear lack of concern, standing in front of her dresser running a brush through her hair. "And why not?"

_"The kid's going to be a burden, as I've said before._" Archer replied. "_How he managed to even summon Saber in the first place…_"

Sakura rolled her eyes as Archer's thoughts trailed off. "Accidents happen, even among magi." She said. "It's a fact, sometimes even more dangerous ones than those which tend to happen to ordinary people."

_"Even so…_"

"Besides," Sakura interrupted, placing her brush down on the dresser before walking over to her bed, where she took her uniform vest and put it on. "He's got a functioning Servant, and I don't. No offense Archer, but even if you can take physical form without immediately collapsing, you're still a good way away from complete recovery, and I'm down to two command spells so I can't just order you to heal."

_"…you have something else in mind for one of those, don't you?_"

"Yes."

"May I ask what that is?"

"I think I'll keep it secret for now." Sakura cheekily answered. "Trust me, you'll thank me if it comes to that…and it might just give us an edge too. A momentary one, most likely, but a small of window of opportunity is all we need."

"I…see…" Archer said with narrowed eyes. "I think I _might _have an idea to what you're planning, but if so…then yes, it's probably best not to confirm it or to even talk about it. Less chance of getting found out that way, and losing a potentially-winning play if the time comes."

"My thoughts exactly."

Archer nodded as Sakura patted down her uniform, and walking back to her dresser, she brushed her hair again before putting on a small pair of gold and diamond earrings. "_You do realize that Saber's hurt too, right?_" Archer asked.

"Not nearly as bad as you." Sakura countered. "So long as we don't fight Berserker again, Saber should be fine. Speaking of sempai's faults though…well, I've got something in mind for that."

_"I get the feeling I'm not going to like it._"

"Maybe…" Sakura said with a cheeky grin, which grew as she struck a pose in front of her mirror. "Nice…"

_"You'd look even nicer with a cape._"

"Hmm…"

_"You aren't actually considering it…are you?_"

Sakura's response was to lightly touch her mirror, which flickered before showing her in a military uniform in a Prussian cut, black with elaborate silver embroidery and gold epaulettes along with a pristine cape of white. Sakura promptly doubled over laughing at the sight, the illusion vanishing as Archer palmed his face.

_"No comment._"

"It was your idea."

"_…more importantly, what will be the terms of your alliance with the kid? Given the way the war works, a blank check isn't a good idea no matter how you look at it._"

"True," Sakura admitted, taking her schoolbag before walking out of her room and closing the door behind her. "Well, just leave that to me."

Archer was silent for a long moment, and then he sighed. "_I knew you were going to say that."_ He said.

"Just trust me."

"_It's not like I have much of a choice now, do I?"_

"…neither do I, even if I don't particularly mind this choice."

"_…fair enough."_

* * *

"Hey there."

Shirou jolted, jumping back a step as Sakura greeted him cheerfully, leaning against the wall to one side of his classroom's door, clearly waiting for him as he prepared to leave for lunch. "Tohsaka," he said in recognition. "Can I help you?"

"Actually, yes you can." Sakura said with a nod. "Care to join me for lunch at the rooftop? We can talk it over something to eat, what I need your help for that is."

"Uh…sure…" Shirou fumbled. He knew she might approach him over the war sooner or later, but he didn't expect it to be this soon. Then again, it was better than the worst-case scenario, which would be her simply attacking out of the blue. She was still a magus after all, for that she seemed to act different than most would, and had expressed…discontent, with some of their ways (and of the war itself). "Why not?"

Sakura grinned, and then turning, led the way to the rooftop, shooing away several whispering and giggling girls (and more than a few boys whispering among themselves) at the sight of the them both. Sighing to himself, Shirou followed. It didn't take long for them to reach the rooftop, and then to Shirou's alarm a bounded field fell into place as Sakura locked the door.

"Relax," Sakura said reassuringly. "It's just to make sure no one walks in on us or listens in. You understand why, don't you?"

Shirou sighed and nodded. "Yeah," he admitted. "I do."

Sakura smiled and walked over to the bench. As for Shirou, he just stood where he was for a few moments, and closing his eyes took a deep breath. Being in the suburbs, the air here was cleaner than might be expected in a city, and between the season and the height of the school building, was surprisingly crisp and cool, the same going for the breeze.

Opening his eyes, he walked over to join Sakura at the bench, and opening his bento box joined her in eating lunch. "So," Sakura began. "How are you?"

"Fine," Shirou said. "Thanks for patching me up again, by the way."

Sakura chuckled softly and nodded. "No problem," she said. "But to be honest, I'm not sure my help was really needed a couple of nights ago. Berserker hurt you really badly, sempai. Even for a magus, that wasn't an injury that could be taken lightly."

Shirou didn't answer, at least not verbally, just making sounds of understanding. Sakura smiled at them though. "Somehow," she said. "Despite the fact you'd nearly been torn apart, to say nothing of all the blood you lost, you managed to hang on. Not only that, but when I started to heal you, I found out you had some sort of healing factor that helped the healing along. I don't know how it works, or where you got it from, but…well, if I had to guess, you might have held out indefinitely with it. Though, that's not necessarily a good thing."

Shirou made an uncomfortable sound at that, though he winced as he remembered the sheer agony from two nights ago. "You…have a point there." He said. "If it's as bad as you say it was, then yeah, somehow holding on indefinitely without getting help is rather…well, I'd rather not think about it."

Sakura made a sound of assent, and then the two of them ate in silence for the next few minutes. "Come to think of it," Shirou began. "Could Saber have something to do with the factor?"

Sakura paused at that, and then resuming with a thoughtful frown thought it over for several moments. "I'm not sure how that would work," she eventually said. "But I can't say that it's impossible either."

Shirou sighed. "Well," he said. "Unless either you or me get any other idea about where my healing factor's from, it's probably from Saber…somehow."

Sakura nodded slowly. "So once again," Shirou glumly remarked. "I've put yet another burden on her."

Sakura glanced at Shirou as he gave a heavy sigh, and silently turned back to her food for the next several moments. "Don't be too hard on yourself." She finally said. "You're an accidental Master after all. It's not really your fault that you're unprepared for your situation."

Shirou smiled weakly. "Thanks." He said. "She – Saber – said the same thing."

"Then there you go." Sakura said with a reassuring smile. "You now have two people telling you not to blame yourself, so just stop."

Shirou laughed and nodded. "I get it." He said. "Well, I guess there's no point getting all hung up over it, so let me take your and Saber's advice."

"There's a good idea."

The two of them shared a laugh at that, and again fell into silence, which lasted until they finished their lunches. "Speaking of Saber," Shirou began as he closed his empty bento box. "I actually wanted to talk to you some more about the Servants."

Sakura made a thoughtful sound, tapping a finger against a cheek as she did so. After a few moments, she nodded slowly. "Come to think of it," she said. "In hindsight, me and Kirei were rather…vague, on them, weren't we? Sorry, sempai. It looks like we might have subconsciously expected you to know more than you really did, despite knowing otherwise."

"It's fine." Shirou said with a raised hand and a smile. "And we're talking right now, aren't we? So…here's a good chance to fill in the blanks."

"Right," Sakura said with a nod. "Okay, what do you want to know?"

"Well," Shirou began. "You've already told me about the command spells and stuff, and why Servants are summoned to begin with, and Saber's also told me that Servants gain a wish of their own like their Masters if they win. I also know they're incarnated Heroic Spirits. So…where do we go from there?"

Sakura nodded in understanding. "Alright," she said. "I see what you mean. Well then, let's go back to the summoning process first. As Kirei told you, Servants are basically Heroic Spirits incarnated as mysteries infinitely close to True Magic. And there's the key point, 'mysteries infinitely close to True Magic'. In truth, the summoning ritual is actually just a means to start and direct a summoning, the summoning is actually performed by the Grail itself. That's because to reach out beyond the World to the Throne of Heroes, and then incarnate the Heroic Spirit in physical form once more…well, there's no way any single magus could possibly pull it off on their own."

"Basically it's like a Grand Ritual then." Shirou said.

"It is." Sakura confirmed with a nod. "It's the reason why the Grail wars have such long intervals between them, the Grail needs to gather prana from the ley-lines running through this land to perform the summoning rituals with."

"How long are the intervals?"

"There are usually fifty years between the wars."

Shirou blinked. "Wait," he said. "Fifty? But the Fourth Holy Grail War was only ten years ago, wasn't it?"

"It was." Sakura said with another nod. "And one more reason why I don't like getting involved in this war. The war…the contest…it's all a gigantic Grand Ritual. Kirei tells me it's because the malfunction of the Grail from ten years ago which set off the Great Fire flooded the Grail with prana, allowing the next contest to take place forty years ahead of schedule…but more to the point, if a malfunction happened once…"

"It can happen again." Shirou grimly finished, and Sakura nodded.

"Yes." She said. "And of course, when all is said and done, it's still a deviation from the ritual's standard parameters. Even if we know the 'why', it doesn't change that fact. And when it comes to Grand Rituals, deviations are _very _dangerous things, considering the amount of prana and the weight of the mysteries involved."

"Then why?" Shirou asked.

"Why is the contest continuing to go forward?" Sakura asked, and Shirou nodded. "Kirei tells me that according to his diagnostic mysteries, all the Grail's functions are working as they should, and that the Grail is responding to all his commands as the overseer. And ultimately, as the overseer he has the last say."

"…is that why you had him prepare all those waivers?" Shirou asked. "Just in case something goes wrong?"

"I pray that nothing goes wrong." Sakura darkly said, leaning forwards and folding her hands together. "But if something does…then it's all on his head."

"…I see."

"Do you disagree?"

"No." Shirou said with a shake of his head. "He was the one who decided to let the war go ahead. So if it causes another disaster like what happened ten years ago, he should be the one to take responsibility."

Sakura smiled softly but said nothing. "Anyway," Shirou said with a cough. "Going back to what we were talking about earlier…"

"Hmm? Oh, right…" Sakura said with a cough. "Anyway, the Grail has its limitations too. Its mysteries might be infinitely-close to True Magic, but they still aren't actually True Magic. For one thing, the Grail doesn't actually summon full-fledged Heroic Spirits themselves, and seven of them to boot. Instead, the Servants are…containers, in a conceptual sense, that limit Heroic Spirits to the point that the Grail can incarnate them."

"I see." Shirou said again, with a nod this time. "I'm guessing it's related to why they're called 'Archer' or 'Saber', isn't it?"

"Yes." Sakura said with a nod of her own. "Heroic Spirits may only be summoned as a Servant of a class they're suited for. Generally-speaking, the attributes of each class are…"

Sakura trailed off, pausing to hold up a finger. "There's your Saber." She said. "Sabers are…well, technically they're very high-performance jacks-of-all-trades. Balanced in terms of overall performance, but very good in all areas, if outclassed in specialization."

"That makes sense." Shirou said with a nod.

Sakura held up another finger. "There's my Archer." She then said. "Archers are ranged combat specialists…obviously."

"Obviously," Shirou echoed with a grin, a grin that Sakura matched and grew at the mental image sent by Archer of him rolling his eyes.

"Archers are also the most versatile of all Servants, capable of adapting to all kinds of situations more easily than other classes." Sakura continued before holding up a third finger. "Then there's the Lancer. Lancers are the best-suited for close combat, and are also usually the most agile of the Servants. Together, those three – Saber, Archer, and Lancer – are called the three 'Servant Knights' for being the most exceptional of the seven classes. The Knight of the Sword, the Knight of the Bow, and the Knight of the Lance, respectively."

Shirou nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I see how that works."

Sakura then held up a fourth finger. "Then there's the Rider." she said. "They usually have average or lower-than-average performance on their own, but tend to balance it out with powerful Noble Phantasms."

"Noble Phantasms?" Shirou echoed.

"Crystallizations of their legends," Sakura explained, lowering her hand. "Usually these are their weapons, armor, equipment, or unique abilities that reflect actions they committed in life."

"I see."

Sakura nodded and continued. "Then there's the Berserker." She said. "These are usually Heroic Spirits who went insane in life, and as Servants are summoned insane. But while this makes them…less than subtle and intelligent, well, it actually gives a huge boost to their raw power. In terms of pure strength, no class is stronger than the Berserker."

Shirou set his face at the reminder of the monstrous Servant from two nights ago, and a moment's thought recalled what he knew of the legend of Heracles, and how in a fit of madness he had killed his own wife and children. "_That explains how someone like him fits the Berserker Class._" He thought.

"Next we have the Caster." Sakura said. "This one is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Casters are the weakest in direct contact…but a key distinction of the class is their ability to wield mysteries that have either been forgotten or are simply unusable by modern magi."

Sakura paused and shrugged. "Potentially not too useful against other Servants, depending on their level of magical resistance," she said. "But against Masters…"

Shirou nodded grimly. "I get what you mean." He simply said, and Sakura moved on.

"The last class is the Assassin." She said. "The weakest in terms of overall performance…but that's only when matched up against other Servants. You see, this class is specifically meant to target Masters…but you figured that out from the moment I said the class' name, didn't you?"

Shirou lowered his face, and nodded. 'Yeah," he said. "I did."

Sakura fell silent, the two magi sitting silently for the next couple of minutes deep in thought, the breeze blowing gently around them. And then Shirou sighed, and looked back up at Sakura. "Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to…well, ruin the mood. But…"

"It's alright." Sakura said with a smile. "I understand."

Shirou nodded and smiled back. "So," he said. "Anything else you can tell me about the Servants?"

Sakura smiled wider at his implied suggestion to move on. "Okay," she said. "I've explained the summoning and the classes so…ah, yes. As already mentioned, Servants are mysteries in themselves. And like all mysteries they require a constant amount of prana to function, or in their case to continue to exist without, well, vanishing."

Shirou's eyes widened at that. "This prana is provided by the Master." Sakura said. "Servants can build up reserves by only using the bare minimum they need to exist, which drops when they stay in astral form, and increases as they use their abilities, heal, use their Noble Phantasms, and things like that."

"But," Shirou said. "That means they're still ultimately dependent on their Masters to exist, aren't they? Once their reserves run out, if they don't get more prana from their Masters…"

"They vanish." Sakura said. "The Master then loses by default…but conversely, even if their Masters are defeated or killed or run out of command spells, a Servant with sufficient reserves can exist without a Master for a time…"

"And if they find a magus with command spells," Shirou finished. "That is, a Master who's lost their Servant, they can make a new contract and rejoin the war. That's what was said two nights ago, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

Shirou again lowered his face in thought, but after only a few moments looked back up with an expression of alarm. "About that connection between Masters and Servants," he said. "Can you feel it?"

"Well," Sakura answered with some confusion. "Yes, but it's a very subtle thing…"

Shirou briefly looked away. "Do you think…" he hesitantly began. "Do you think my accidental summoning of Saber…do you think it might mean I can't supply her with prana? I mean, I've always known I don't have much, but…"

Shirou didn't finish what he was saying, but after a moment's thought Sakura gave an answer regardless. "I don't really know, to be honest." She said. "You might want to ask Saber, though. But, if I remember right she did say recovering prana…was…going to be difficult…"

Sakura trailed off uncomfortably, and Shirou sighed and shook his head. "I knew it." He said glumly. "Tohsaka, do you…no, never mind."

Sakura briefly opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it in thought. She suspected Shirou was going to ask if she knew how to fix that problem, and while she did, she decided not to bring it up until he did. Which he might…given what she was going to ask of him.

"So…anything else?" Shirou asked.

"One last thing." Sakura said. "Class names are more than just categories based on abilities and such. They're also used to hide your Servant's true identity for as long as possible, because once it's been found out, well, it's all too likely weaknesses that could be taken advantage of can be found out."

"That makes sense." Shirou said only for his eyes to widen and then narrow in realization. "No wait, that Einzbern girl two nights ago, she…!"

"Yeah, I get what you mean." Sakura said with a grim nod and tone. "Normally revealing your own Servant's identity is a mistake of the highest degree, but in Einzbern's case, well, the benefits of revealing who he is could be worth more than keeping it secret. An utterly first-class Servant summoned as Berserker…"

Sakura shook her head. "That crazy little girl is not someone to take lightly." She said. "Just the fact that you know you're up against _Heracles_, arguably the single most famous hero from Europe…"

Shirou nodded in agreement as Sakura trailed off. Silence fell, Shirou sitting with his head lowered in thought, while Sakura absent-mindedly looked up and away at the sky. "…though," she eventually said. "We might as well be thankful for small mercies."

Shirou glanced at Sakura. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Einzbern summoned Heracles as Berserker." Sakura replied. "But while this maximizes Heracles' raw strength, for which he is known best for, it also reduces his overall threat. If she'd summoned him as Archer…then we might as well give up."

"…he used poisoned arrows, didn't he?" Shirou asked, thinking back to the legend.

"Yes." Sakura said with a nod. "He poisoned his arrows with hydra blood, enough to harm even a god, and one as powerful as Hades himself. But it's not just that, or even his skill as an archer. No, the most dangerous thing about Heracles is that while he looks like a brute, is that he was very intelligent. Think back to the Twelve Labors, and how he overcame each and every one of them. Not with brute strength, at least not completely, but with well-thought solutions."

"…given what you said earlier about the Archer Class and its versatility," Shirou said after a moment. "I can see how he fits…and how we should be thankful Einzbern summoned Heracles as Berserker, and not as Archer. Though, it doesn't make the idea of taking him on any less scary."

"No, it certainly doesn't." Sakura agreed. "As I said, small mercies."

"Yeah…"

Again, silence fell over the two magi. After a moment and the breeze picked up slightly, whipping through their hair but not badly so, and after several minutes of thought Shirou looked at the girl sitting across the bench from him.

It was the first time Shirou could look at her closely and while she was relaxed too, and after a moment found himself drawn to her eyes. They were blue, a bright shade rare among Japanese, and usually only among those with foreign ancestry.

Not that it really mattered of course, and more than that Shirou couldn't help but compare it to the clear blue sky, stretching out above and beyond one's reach, and making one wonder at what lay beyond the horizon. And as the breeze slackened, Sakura blinked and blushing slightly at finding Shirou's gaze on her, coughed. "W-what is it?" she asked.

Shirou blinked and coughed himself. "N-nothing," he said. "Anyway, thanks for being so open with me, Tohsaka. I really appreciate you telling me all about the Servants."

"You're welcome." Sakura said. "I just…"

She trailed off, briefly looking away as Shirou blinked in confusion. "No, it's nothing." She said. "And, I wanted…that is, to ask you something."

"Huh?"

"Emiya-sempai," Sakura began. "Do you want to be allies?"

Shirou didn't answer in surprise, and Sakura's eyes looked away again before she lowered her face and looked back at him. "You see," she said softly. "My Archer's still not up after getting wounded by Saber…no, I'm not trying to make you feel obliged to make amends that is…um…"

Shirou chuckled at Sakura getting flustered, causing her to get even flustered some more (and missing a virtually-identical chuckle from Archer). "I don't mind." He said. "To be honest, I don't want to be your enemy any more than more than you want to be mine."

"Yes," Sakura said, before giving a cough. "Also, before you bring up something along the lines of 'are you sure you want to be allies with someone like me' or something like that, while we're allies, I'm willing to help you bring your magecraft up to speed so…"

"Well I'm thankful for that, and I'm willing to accept, but…"

"But…?" Sakura echoed.

"As I said, I don't mind." Shirou said. "So you don't have to give up any family secrets to get me to accept. I mean, I know things like those are really well-guarded by magi so…"

"I wasn't going to." Sakura said as Shirou trailed off. "I'm sure there are things I could teach you without giving up any family secrets…I think."

Shirou laughed again, and after a moment Sakura blushed and rubbing the back of her head joined in on the laughter. "With that said though," Shirou said with a somewhat sad expression on his face. "My abilities aside, are you sure you can trust me?"

"Huh?"

"Well, it's just that magi are, well, not very trusting of each other, aren't they?"

Sakura briefly looked away at that. "Yes, that's like us." She said softly.

"So…"

Sakura met Shirou's eyes at that, causing him to trail off. After a moment, Sakura blinked and smiled. "I trust you, sempai." She said, and something about it caused Shirou to blush himself.

"What makes you so sure?" he asked. "I mean, well, no matter what I might say about myself, we barely know each other and…"

"I know I can trust you." Sakura said before giving a cheeky grin. "You're the school janitor, aren't you?"

Shirou blinked and then burst out laughing. Sakura blushed, and weakly laughing, rubbed the back of her head. "I'm not sure whether to be insulted or not," Shirou eventually said. "But, I guess that's a good enough reason."

Silence fell between the two of them, and as it stretched out, Sakure lowered her face while looking hopefully at a perplexed Shirou. "So?" she eventually asked softly.

Shirou blinked and then chuckled. "As I said," he began. "It's fine. I'll have to talk about it first with Saber of course, but I'm sure she'll say yes. So…"

Shirou held out a hand and smiled. "If you want to be allies since you can trust me and need me to help you out," he said. "Then, I'll be your ally. I'll trust you too, just like you trust me."

Sakura stared at the offered hand for a moment, and then with a blush and a small smile took it and shook it. "Thank you, sempai." She said softly, and Shirou smiled wider.

"You're welcome."

* * *

A/N

And now Shirou and Sakura are allies. It shouldn't be too surprising, if at all. Yes, I know the chapter seems pretty much filler, but it's necessary filler to bridge the previous ones with the next.


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 8

Golden afternoon light shone down over the suburbs, gently washing through the paper walls of the Emiya mansion and softly illuminating the rooms within. In one of the guest rooms, Saber and Shirou sat on the floor, the latter telling the former about Sakura's offer of an alliance, and how Shirou had already given tentative agreement depending on Saber's opinion.

Saber closed her eyes in thought for a few moments. "The decision is ultimately yours, Master." She finally said, opening her eyes. "Though, I am grateful that you would consider my opinion on the matter."

Shirou smiled gently. "Well," he said. "The Master and Servant thing isn't or shouldn't be one-sided, should it?"

"Indeed it should not." Saber agreed with a smile. "While there probably are those who would think Servants should be completely subordinate to their Masters, I would think of it as closer to the relationship between a knight and his lord, with both having obligations to the other. Master and Servant, not master and slave."

Shirou nodded, and then held a hand up in an asking gesture. "I think so too." He said. "But, what do you think about Tohsaka's offer?"

"I think we should accept." Saber said. "While she may be an enemy in the future, I do not think she is the kind to betray us suddenly, and will openly break the alliance before becoming the enemy."

Shirou looked troubled. "What makes you say that?" he asked.

"She invoked the truce of parley last night." Saber said. "Furthermore, the way she did so while under the shadow of my sword indicated that she did so not out of desperation, but out of true understanding and respect for the ancient tradition of parley. If nothing else, I believe that shows proof that Sakura Tohsaka is an honorable character, whether as foe or ally."

"…yeah, I think I get what you mean…" Shirou softly began. "But, I meant more…what do you mean she might still be an enemy in the future? I mean…"

"Did you forget, Master?" Saber interrupted. "There can only be one victor in the Holy Grail War, one Master, and one Servant. Even if we stay allies with Sakura Tohsaka until the very end, the contest won't truly end until either I or Archer fall at the hands of the other, or perhaps even…"

Saber trailed off as Shirou sighed and scratched irritably at his head. "This is just…" he began, only to shake his head. "It's nothing."

Saber said nothing more for a couple of moments. "Another reason why you should accept this alliance is that it would allow you to improve your skills, Master." She added. "You did say she offered to help you with your magecraft, did she not?"

"Yeah, she did." Shirou said. "I don't really care much about that though. Still…"

Shirou trailed off and sighed again before smiling. "So in short," he said. "You think we should accept the offered alliance then?"

"I do, Master." Saber said with a nod, and Shirou smiled wider.

"Alright, then. I'll tell her tomorrow." He said, and Saber nodded again. "Oh, and one more thing. You don't have to keep calling me 'master', I have a name after all. Shirou Emiya, so…just Shirou will do."

"Very well, Shirou," Saber said with a small bow. "I will do as you ask. It's certainly easier to address you by name than as my Master."

Shirou nodded, and Saber smiled at him, causing Shirou to pause. It was the first time he'd seen her smile and…

The sound of the front doors opening in the distance and Taiga's voice drew his attention, and he briefly glanced in her direction. "Sorry," he said while getting up. "We'll talk some more about this later. I have to go and prepare dinner, you see."

Saber nodded, and turning, Shirou opened the doors and closing them behind him, walked away to leave Saber in the growing dark.

* * *

Archer sat in down in a chair with his Master and her Servant in the Tohsaka mansion's dininag room, and stared at the big bowl of ramen placed in front of him. He glanced at Sakura who was wearing an apron while standing with the maids, and who stared back at him. He glanced back at the ramen, and then back at Sakura. "What's this?" he asked, pointing at the ramen.

"It's ramen." Sakura answered.

"I can see that!" Archer said before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. "What I mean is, what's this all about?"

Sakura leaned closer. "If you don't want it," she said, her hands clasped behind her. "Then give it back."

Archer placed his hands protectively on the bowl, and Sakura beamed. "Just kidding!" she said, and causing Archer to face-palm as Aoi and the maids laughed at his expense.

"Sorry, sorry," Sakura said while leaning back. "In any case, that's my apology to you."

"Apology?" Archer echoed.

"Yes." Sakura said. "I was thinking I might have offended you by making an alliance with Emiya-sempai, and by extension with Saber. And I did say it was because you're not fit for battle right now…oh I said it again, didn't I? Sorry…anyway, you might consider yourself unwanted or unappreciated, so…I made dinner special tonight!"

Archer stared exasperatedly at the beaming Sakura for a couple of moments, and then with a sigh he smiled at her. "Thank you very much." He said. "No, really. I appreciate the thought and effort."

Sakura's smile faded to a more natural one. "You're welcome." She said before prompting him. "But?"

"You needn't have bothered." Archer said. "I'm not offended, really. It's the truth after all. As I am right now, well, as you can see I can take physical form without collapsing on the spot, but against every Servant except Assassin and _maybe _Caster, I wouldn't stand a chance. You making an alliance with another Master you can trust and with an effective Servant of their own is only common sense."

Archer paused and sighed. "I haven't come this far without being able to see and accept the truth, after all." He continued with a veiled tone of bitterness that caught Sakura by surprise, and after a moment, Archer glanced at her in realization. "No, it's nothing but an old…hero's, regrets, that's all."

Sakura's smile vanished, and she looked sad as she stood silent for a few moments before Aoi chimed in. "Everyone has regrets." She said softly.

"Yes, they do." Archer agreed, smiling sadly at the older woman. "Some more than others. Thanks for the sympathy but…"

Archer trailed off, and briefly closing her eyes, Aoi nodded. "Anyway," Archer said. "What about you? Aren't you going to join me for dinner?"

"Oh right!" Sakura said, before running off. She came back after several moments with a pair of small plates, saucers, soy sauce, and a platter of steaming dumplings that had Archer raising an eyebrow. It rose even further when she ran off yet again, coming back with hot tea and cups, and then running off _again_ had Archer's eyebrows going up as high as they could as Sakura arrived with two more bowls – one as big as Archer's own – of ramen. "Ladies, I think we can handle ourselves here for the next twenty to forty minutes. Go and have dinner in the meantime, while your ramen is still hot."

There was a chorus of grateful assent, and the maids left with a series of bows. "That's a big bowl." Archer observed once the maids were gone, as Sakura removed her apron, and placing it beside her on another chair, sat down on her seat.

"Hey!" she protested. "I burn through a lot of carbs every day. Don't judge me."

"True," Archer said while picking up his chopsticks. "Sorry, and thank you for the meal."

"No problem." Sakura said with a laugh, also picking up her own chopsticks and giving thanks.

The sounds of slurping filled the living room for the next minute or so, as the Servant and the Tohsaka women focused on their dinner. "This is really good." Archer eventually said. "Who taught you?"

"My mother did." Sakura said with a smile at Aoi. "She flatters me by saying that if I didn't have the responsibility and obligation of being a magus, I should try and become a professional chef."

"It's not flattery if it's true." Aoi remarked. "I know you think modestly of yourself, whether in household matters or in magecraft, but you really are that gifted, Sakura dear. And I know you know, so don't sell yourself short. It's a bad habit."

Sakura weakly laughed with mild embarrassment. "I…guess…" she said while scratching at her head, and then slurping up some noodles. "Though, Father Kotomine thinks it's not a bad thing to be modest about one's skills."

_"Modesty isn't a bad thing."_ Aoi conceded with a nod. "_Not by itself, but when it starts holding you back, and makes you think less of yourself, then it's clearly gone too far."_

"I'm going to have to go with your mother on this." Archer added his opinion. "I saw how you fought with Einzbern. And they're a family that goes back over a thousand years, from what I know. To be able to stalemate one of them…you really shouldn't think so…modestly.

Sakura finished chewing on a dumpling and swallowed it before giving an answer. "I…well, yes…those are good points. And if it's mom who says so…well, who am I to disagree, much less disobey. I like to think of myself as a good girl, after all." She said before giggling evilly. "And here's to hoping he tries to call me out on it, just so I can use the mother angle against him."

Archer laughed, as did Aoi, the levity taking away much of what was supposed to be a reproachful look at Sakura's remarks regarding her magecraft teacher. "You're mean." Archer accused.

"Maybe," Sakura remarked with a shrug. "But you have to admit, mom's advice is more helpful than his."

"Well, the old saying 'mother knows best' comes to mind."

Aoi nodded sagely. "Your Servant has a touch of wisdom." She said with a small, teasing smile. "You should listen to him."

Archer smiled smugly as Sakura rolled her eyes, though her amused smile took the edge off. "In this case though," she said. "He deserves some frustration, especially after making me suffer through his cavalier attitude about this…contest's, safety over the past few months, if not more. Add in all his snide comments and uncalled for opinions over the years…I swear, if it weren't for the fact that my father trusted him…"

_"Huh…_" Archer thought to himself. "_That…reminds me, of someone I used to know. Someone I fought against so very long ago, and defeated and killed. I can't quite remember his name and face, but I do remember he had a twisted sense of humor, and equally-twisted goals to match. And then paradox: because for all that, I also remember that that man did have a proper sense of morality. So why? Why did he…what was he…"_

Archer sighed as he continued to eat ramen, but glanced at Sakura with narrowed eyes. "_And Sakura,"_ he thought. "_She reminds me of someone too. Again, I can't place a name or a face, but I remember…I remember…a boy? A girl…a child…a magus…yes, a magus, but one who constantly struggled between the extremes such a role demanded and how a good person should live their life…and that person…what happened to them?_"

Archer laughed inwardly. "_A touch of wisdom, she says._" he thought, his eyes flickering towards Aoi. "_I'm flattered, I really am. All I said was just a few words, which while having wisdom to them is only skin-deep. They were just words, after all. I could know all the words of wisdom in the world, but if I don't live or understand them, then am I really wise? With my memories so…blurred, I can't really answer, one way or another._"

Archer sighed inwardly. "_Well, it doesn't really matter._" He thought sadly. "_At least I hope it doesn't. Sakura's smart, and she's practical too, but when all is said and done she's still just…what, sixteen? Fifteen? In short, she's inexperienced. Her mother's wisdom – born of age and experience – helps, but…Madam Aoi isn't a magus. There are still gaps in how far she can support her daughter. I'll do what I can to fill those in, but with my blurred memories…_"

Archer went back to eating, but thoughts were running fast in his head by this point. "_And then there's that boy we allied ourselves with._" he said. "_Saber's a first class Servant, but even then her abilities are limited to an extent by her Master's own limitations. We can only hope it's not as bad as it seems but…that boy…_"

Archer poured himself some tea and took a calming drink. "_I've never been one to rest easy on blind faith._" he thought. "_And yet here I am, about to do just that. I got too careless, letting Saber cut me down like that. Damn it…I hate it when I only have myself to blame for my predicament, but what can I do about it? Damn it…_"

Archer took another drink. "_Here's to hoping Sakura can get that boy to shape up._" he thought. "_If he doesn't…then we're doomed._"

Archer closed his eyes as he lowered his cup. "_Thankfully, i_t's not set in stone yet, though.__" he thought. "_Sakura still has a fighting chance to get him to shape up. And we don't necessarily have to stay allies with him for the rest of the war, after all._"

Archer opened his eyes, and tightened his fingers around his cup. "_At the very least,_" he thought. "_We just need to be able to hold out until I've fully recovered, and if the alliance has become inconvenient to maintain by then, well, I guess we'll just have to go our separate ways._"

"Heavy thoughts?" Sakura suddenly prompted.

"Not really," Archer replied. "Just thinking about the future, that's all."

"Is that right?"

"Yes." Archer said. "And speaking of which, the alliance with the kid and his Saber aside, what's your plan for the future?"

"Still nothing too far ahead," Sakura said, placing her chopsticks down. "We don't know what might happen on the battlefield after all. And I'm still planning on focusing on Rider."

"I see. And Caster?"

"A problem for later," Sakura said, though she clenched her fists tight. "Caster might be attacking people across the city, draining them of their life force to provide him or her with prana, but at least they're not actually killing people. Rider is, if she's not outright brainwashing them into mindless husks that live only to follow her every command. Both are against the rules, and draws unnecessary attention, but one is clearly worse than the other, and we can't afford to split our efforts. We just have to pick our poison."

"Agreed," Archer said, taking a dumpling with his chopsticks. "Should I also assume that you're still hoping to be able to turn Lancer and Rider against each other."

"I've been reading up on their legends, so yes." Sakura said with a nod. "They seem like a perfect counter to each other, and from what I can discern of Lancer's character, he seems the kind to carry a grudge, and given his history with Rider…"

"…if they succeed in taking each other down," Archer observed. "Not only are we down two enemies, but we can then focus on Caster immediately afterwards."

"That's the idea." Sakura said with another nod. "Either way though, we'll have to keep a careful eye for Berserker and Einzbern."

"…yeah, I guess we do."

"Like I told Emiya-sempai," Sakura said with a grim expression on her face. "That little homunculus is not someone to take lightly. Not only has she succeeded in summoning an utterly-first class Servants and controls them as Berserker, she also turned what should have been a mistake into a powerful piece of psychological warfare."

"Who wouldn't get shaken by the prospect of facing off against Heracles, even bereft of his mind?" Archer asked.

Sakura nodded and sighed. "Though I'd say that's something to be thankful for." She said. "Like I told Emiya-sempai, Heracles is best known for his superhuman strength, but his real talents lay in his intelligence and resourcefulness. If he'd been summoned as an Archer, then his Master is practically guaranteed to win."

Archer nodded sagely. "My pride's taken a hit that it takes someone like Heracles being summoned in my class to guarantee a win," He joked with a smile. "But it's not like I can disagree either."

"I'd be surprised if you did."

"Ouch."

Master and Servant glanced at each other, and then shared a laugh.

* * *

"Wow Shirou!" Taiga gushed as she sat at Shirou's dining table. "You've really outdone yourself this time! Everything looks so delicious!"

"You say that so often, it's flattery pure and simple." Shirou said with a smile from where he was sitting. "But thanks anyway."

_Come to think of it, Saber's been stuck inside that room of hers since this morning. This doesn't seem right._

Shirou blinked as Taiga held out her rice bowl. "Oh right," he said, making to reach out to take the offered bowl, only to pause as he saw an empty spot at the table where Saber could sit at. A glance from the corner of his eyes at the plentiful food on the table made him think how there was more enough to go around, and how Saber might feel being left out like this.

"Hey Shirou," Taiga impatiently prompted Shirou, waving her bowl in the air at him. "Stop spacing out already, and let's eat before the food gets cold."

"Right, right," Shirou said, taking the bowl and filling it up.

"Seriously, is something wrong, Shirou?" Taiga asked. "You don't usually space out like that."

"No, I'm just…a bit distracted, that's all." Shirou said while handing Taiga's bowl back to her. "Sorry."

_No, this isn't right at all._

Taiga stared at Shirou with a veiled expression on her face for several moments, before finally shrugging it off. While she muttered to herself for a few more moments, eventually her previous cheer returned, and Taiga proceeded to divide the number of meatballs between the two of them. "Alright!" she said loudly. "There's twenty-four meatballs, so that's twelve each for us! Or six, if you want to set some aside for lunch tomorrow."

Shirou made his decision. "No, wait a bit." He said while getting up. "I'll be back soon."

Ignoring Taiga's concerned questions, Shirou rushed off. Making his way through his house's shadowed corridors, Shirou finally arrived at Saber's room, and opening the door found her sitting in the dark. "Hey, Saber." He said. "Let's go."

"Did something happen?" Saber asked.

"No, I just want to introduce you to my sister, that's all." Shirou said with an inviting smile. Taking her hand, he tried to pull her to her feet, only for Saber to resist.

"Wait a moment, I don't think this is a particularly…"

"It's not right for you to just sit here in the dark while we're eating up." Shirou said, still trying to pull Saber to her feet. "And besides, I shouldn't have to hide you like this, do I?"

"But you said…"

"I know what I said, but I'm sure I can find a way to keep Fuji-nee out of the war without treating you like this, now come on." Shirou said, finally pulling the confused Saber to her feet. "Let's go before dinner gets cold."

* * *

Taiga stared at Saber and Shirou as they stood to one side, a meatball falling from slackened chopsticks back onto the spaghetti in Taiga's case. Shirou looked uncomfortable if resolved, while Saber was cool as a cucumber, unfazed by the attention on her.

"So um," Shirou began. "This is Saber. She'll be staying here for a little while."

Shirou paused and glanced at Saber. "Saber," he said. "You can sit here next to me."

"I still have my doubts about this," Saber observed. "Are you certain…"

"I'm sure." Shirou interrupted, sitting back down at the table. "It'll be good for us to eat together, and so if you're going to be staying here you're going to eat with the rest of us. Oh, and that means eight meatballs for each of us."

_That _seemed to snap Taiga from her stupor. "OUTRAGEOUS!" she roared, prompting Shirou to cover his ears (despite sitting opposite from her).

"Shirou!" Taiga demanded, pointing a finger at Saber. "What's wrong with you? You can't just bring random girls into your house! This isn't a hotel or a motel or whatever you know!"

"Well, no," Shirou admitted before rallying. "But it's big enough to be, so what's wrong with one or two?"

"One or two?" Taiga echoed. "Are you saying there's more?"

"NO!" Shirou responded loudly. "Of course not! Why would you even think that?"

"But she's…"

"Look, Saber's…"

"Where exactly did you pick this girl up anyway?" Taiga demanded.

"I didn't 'pick her up', she's a…well…a relative."

Taiga actually laughed at that. "Distant relative, huh?" she asked. "Yeah right, you're going to have to do better than that, Shirou."

"It's the truth!" Shirou insisted, inwardly slapping himself at the first thought – well _lie _– that slipped out. "Look, I don't know the details, but she's connected to dad and came here because of him."

"You don't really expect me to believe that, do you?" Taiga asked. "There's no way Kiritsugu would have…okay, so he might have had foreign connections I didn't know about…"

"See!"

"But that's not the point!" Taiga ferociously stood her ground. "It's still improper! You! Why are you really here?"

"I already told you…!" Shirou began only for Taiga to stare him down.

"Shirou, be quiet! This is for your own good!" she thundered before turning back to Saber.

Saber glanced at Taiga from the corner of her eyes, and narrowed them slightly before giving an answer. "I am here," she said. "To protect Shirou from his enemies, as per Kiritsugu's will. That's all there is to it."

Something about the steely glint in Saber's eyes unsettled Taiga, and she briefly faltered before rallying. "I-is that so?" she stammered out. "Alright then…!"

Shirou blinked as Taiga got to her feet. "If you're really here to protect him," she began. "I say we see how good you really are!"

"What?" Shirou and Saber asked.

Taiga grinned, and flexed one of her arms for effect. "Let's see what you've got." She repeated.

* * *

"The only way I'm letting you stay here is if you – somehow – beat me."

The four of them – Shirou, Saber, and Taiga – were gathered in the dojo. Shirou stood to one side, and Taiga and Saber faced each other in the middle.

"But if you lose," Taiga continued. "It's off with you."

"Very well," Saber said. "Though I must say, this is rather unnecessary."

"Can't we just talk about this over dinner?" Shirou asked. "It's getting cold too!"

"Shirou, be quiet!" Taiga shouted at him. "Can't you see I'm doing this for your sake?"

"Shall we begin then?" Saber asked calmly. "If I must prove my worth protecting Shirou, then I will do so to the best of my ability."

Something about that just ticked Taiga off, prompting a vein to throb at her forehead. "You're rather full of yourself, aren't you?" she snarled, before swinging up her _shinai _and stepping into a stance charged at Saber. "Let's go blondie!"

Shirou glanced at Saber, and blinked as he saw one of her hands flexing as though holding a sword. Taiga closed, and then with the sound of two hard surfaces striking each other, her _shinai _went flying to her shock and surprise.

Flipping through the air, it landed in Saber's hand, the blonde somehow having stepped past Taiga and opened up the distance between them much to Taiga's shock. "Are you satisfied?" Saber asked.

For a few moments, Taiga just stared at Saber in shock, and then chuckling to herself reached behind her and into the back of her dress. "As if!" she shouted, pulling out another _shinai _as she did so. "I'm just getting started!"

Shouting as though she was in a match in a _kendo _tournament, Taiga smoothly slipped the _shinai _into a proper grip while charging, and taking her _shinai _in both hands, Saber stepped into a stance of her own. But then the _shinai _burst, revealing itself to be some sort of joke item much to Saber's surprise.

"I've got you now!" Taiga shouted, swinging down.

Again, there was the sound of two hard surfaces striking each other, and Taiga's _shinai _went flying. And again, it landed in Saber's hand, who'd once again stepped past Taiga and opened up the distance between them.

As Taiga stared and stammered incoherently in shock and disbelief, Saber tossed the joke _shinai _away, and hefting the real _shinai _a couple of times began to walk towards Taiga. "If you wish to continue," Saber began. "I'm more than willing to oblige. However, I'm fairly certain the outcome is quite obvious by this point, is it not?"

Pausing as she came within reach of Taiga, she lightly struck the teacher on the head once, and caused her to collapse – almost comically – to her knees. The only way it would be more comic than it already was would be if she started crying, even more so as she wailed out.

"Some weirdo stole Shirou from me!"

"Weirdo? Really?" Shirou asked no one in particular, before palming his face.

* * *

"What?"

Shirou just stared incredulously at Taiga and Saber in blue and white yukatas, the former having set up a pair of futons in the one of the larger guest rooms. "You heard me." Taiga said, ignoring Saber standing beside her and adjusting her yukata. "I can't just let a young man and woman of school age to live alone together. So I'm staying the night until I'm sure you can be left on your own unchaperoned."

"Look," Shirou began heatedly. "I understand your position, but this is just ridiculous. There's no way either Saber or me are…"

"No matter what you say, I've made my decision so leave it be, Shirou." Taiga firmly interrupted. Then nodding to herself, Taiga turned towards Saber. "Saber, why don't you take this futon?"

"While I appreciate your position and responsibility," Saber began. "If I am to protect Shirou it would be better if I spent the night in his room."

Taiga just growled before closing her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest, and prompting Shirou to step closer to Saber. "I think we should just let this go." He said softly. "She's already given a lot away, so, might as well."

"But, Shirou…"

Shirou smiled, and leaning closer, began to whisper to her. "In any case," he said. "There's a bounded field around the property so we'll know if anyone unfriendly or otherwise shows up. I'm just a few rooms away, so…"

Shirou trailed off, but Saber nodded in agreement. "Very well," she said, and Shirou stepped away.

"Alright then," he said cheerfully. "I'm off to my room, so good night everyone."

"Good night, Shirou!" Taiga said with a grin, and Saber nodded as well.

"Good night, Shirou" She said.

Shirou nodded, and turning opened the doors to leave. Closing them behind him, he'd only taken a few steps when the doors opened behind him, and Saber stepped out. "Shirou," she began, closing the doors behind her before walking closer. "There's something I must ask."

"Huh?"

"Why did you introduce me to her?" Saber asked. "You know it only puts those you care for at risk, don't you?"

Shirou stayed silent for a few moments before he sighed. "Yes, I know." He said. "But, even so, it didn't feel right, leaving you all on your own, while we're enjoying ourselves. As for the risk, well, let me worry about that, alright?"

"Shirou…"

Shirou nodded and turning left down the corridor, and after another moment Saber likewise turned, and returned to where Taiga was waiting.

* * *

A/N

Should I feel bad that I feel like LMAO every time Taiga tries to act like the responsible adult? I mean, seriously: responsible adult isn't _really _what comes to mind when you see Taiga. When all is said and done, she really is still Zecchan at heart, if not more. The only thing that's changed is the appearance (she got older).

Not that that's a bad thing, of course. We all love Zecchan/Taiga no matter what.


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 9

The school bell rang the start of lunch break, and causing students across the classroom to start packing their things before breaking out their lunches and congregating into their usual groups. Others left the room to meet up with friends from other classes, to buy food or to attend to other matters, and other things besides.

Shirou for his part stayed at his desk, finishing up on an essay the teacher from the previous class had set them to writing on. While it wasn't due until tomorrow and he could do it at home later, he preferred to finish it now, with the stream of thought for the essay's subject fresh and uninterrupted.

Focused as he was on his schoolwork, Shirou largely tuned out the chatter and noises of his surroundings, though it did not mean he was unaware of them. Largely indifferent maybe, but not unaware…which meant he sensed the approach of someone from behind, and pausing just short of his desk to one side.

Continuing to ignore them as finished up on a paragraph, he felt someone slowly lean down, closer to him, and then sighing, Shirou turned his head…and looked right into Sakura's face. "So," she asked with a smile. "What's the verdict?"

"Your face is too close." Shirou cheekily replied, and Sakura laughed.

"Oh you're mean, sempai." She said while straightening up. "Normally, I'd expect a boy of our ages to be happy for me being so close, probably thinking I'm interested in them or something like that."

"Are you?" Shirou asked curiously.

Sakura made a show of thinking the question through, before she shrugged and winked. "Maybe I am." She said. "What about you? Interested?"

Shirou snickered and looked around the classroom. "Not really something to talk about in the open…either way." He said, before putting away his near-finished essay and pen, and grabbing his lunchbox got to his feet. "So…want to talk someplace more private? And, don't you have any lunch of your own?"

"I have my ways." Sakura mysteriously replied with a matching smile, and causing Shirou to raise an eyebrow.

"Right…shall we go then?"

Sakura nodded, and led the way out of the classroom with Shirou following. It didn't go without being noticed, of course. "Way to go, Emiya!" Shinji shouted after them with a grin, and giving Shirou a pair of thumbs up when the redhead glanced his way. Shirou responded with a shushing gesture, but before he could say anything, Sakura grabbed him by an arm and pulled him out the door.

Once they were gone, the whispering began in earnest, on how the cheeky if high-performing daughter of the PTA President seemed to be hooking up with the student body's janitor. The reactions ranged from bemusement to disappointment or even outrage. Quite a few boys thought such a brilliant girl could have chosen better, though a number of girls suddenly found themselves realizing they had missed a chance to snag someone they hadn't noticed until now to have been perfect boyfriend material.

* * *

"You know they're going to be gossiping about us for quite a while, right?" Shirou asked as he followed Sakura onto the roof.

"I don't care about gossip." Sakura said with a roll of her eyes, and closing the door behind them. Moments later, and a bounded field fell into place around them. "And I'm surprised that you do."

"I don't." Shirou admitted. "Not really…but it is very inconvenient, and I don't want to cause trouble for you…"

Shirou trailed off as Sakura pulled out a gem, and then pulled out a hot lunch that she'd apparently stored inside said gem. "Okay, now that's just cheating." He protested.

"No." Sakura disagreed with a smirk. "It's called magic."

Shirou gave an exasperated sigh, though he did agree to sit down with Sakura on the same bench nearby. For the next ten or fifteen minutes, the two magi focused on their meals, though Shirou found himself thankful for Sakura's 'cheating' when she offered him a cold drink she'd stored inside another gem, having forgotten to buy one before heading up with her to the roof.

"So," Sakura asked after putting her lunch away, and stretching her limbs, walked over to lean on the roof's safety railing to look out over the surrounding suburbs, the breeze gently pulling and tugging at her hair. "Like I asked earlier, what's the verdict?"

"Sure, why not?" Shirou answered, joining Sakura at the railing. "Saber doesn't think it's a bad idea, and neither do I. Though I like I said, I don't want to cause you trouble, and I'll be the first to admit that I'm not really that much of a magus."

"Hmm…true…but as part of our alliance, I did say I'd help you with your magecraft."

"Yeah, you did." Shirou said with a nod, before glancing at Sakura who glanced back, and shared a smile between the two of them. "So…what's next?"

"…have you heard the news lately?" Sakura asked after a moment's thought, and her voice and expression turning serious.

"…I'm guessing you're talking about all those gas leaks, or the serial killings in the pleasure districts." Shirou grimly said. "Ever since I found out all about this war, I had my suspicions. But now…are you really telling me a Servant or two are behind them?"

"Two different Servants, yes." Sakura said. "I'd like to take them down just as much as you do, though I think we're better off going about it one by one instead of trying to take on two enemies at the same time. Depending on which Servants we'll be facing, given your limitations not just as a magus but also as a Master, plus only having Saber to count on as our Servant…"

Sakura trailed off, but Shirou nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I get what you mean." He said. "But if that's the case, then who should we go after first?"

"Rider," Sakura said at once. "We go after Rider first, as she's the one behind all the killings. The Servant behind the gas leaks appears to be Caster based on what my familiars could find, but while they _are _attacking ordinary people, they haven't actually killed anyone. It doesn't make what they're doing – draining people of their life energy – right, but compared to Rider…"

Sakura trailed off again, and Shirou nodded in agreement again. "Makes sense…" he said. "What else do you know?"

Sakura smiled. "It looks we'll have to thank our stars," she said. "Because it looks like we got lucky that Rider is a fairly recognizable one. Her identity is Medb, Queen of Connacht. A particularly famous – or should I say _infamous _– figure from Irish myth, having been married to or the mistress of a number of kings and heroes of her time, using said connections to increase her power and influence."

"…the name rings a bell." Shirou said after a few moments' thought. "But I'm not exactly familiar with her legend."

"Then be thankful that I am." Sakura said.

"Really?"

"Yes…in fact I can say we should thank our stars twice, because I know who Lancer is as well, and we just might be able to point him at Rider too."

"What do you mean?"

Sakura smiled wider. "Lancer is the Hound of Ulster," she said. "Cu Chulainn. It explains why Saber's wound is taking quite a while to heal, as she's simultaneously trying to heal while fighting the effects of his cursed spear. If she were any less…well, _legendary_, she might not be healing at all."

"Cu Chulainn…" Shirou echoed thoughtfully. "I've heard of him, and I'm more familiar with him than with Rider. Yeah, that makes sense…about Saber's wound, that is. Why would we be able to point him at Rider, though?"

Sakura giggled. "Well," she said. "It's actually like something out a cheap TV drama."

"…what?"

Sakura giggled again. "You see," she began. "Medb was, to put it bluntly, a gold-digger. Like I said earlier, she married or simply became the mistress of kings, lords, knights, and heroes for her own benefit. She never really felt anything for them, and literally just used them to further her own interests."

"But…?" Shirou prompted, and Sakura giggled again.

"Eventually," she said. "She met Cu Chulainn, one of the greatest heroes of the age, if not the greatest Ireland has ever produced. Some people _have _described him as the Heracles of his people, and I have no reason to disagree. As you might expect, Medb was very attracted to him."

"…what you said about this being a cheap TV drama is suddenly making a lot of sense." Shirou said dryly, and Sakura laughed.

"I know, right?" she said with a grin. "Thing is, Cu Chulainn felt absolutely nothing for Medb. He didn't love or hate her, or even felt attracted to her. He was just…indifferent, to her. And that drove Medb mad. She could accept hate in place of love, but that she was nothing to him…? Ha…! She started war after war after war on Ulster to get her hands on him, to force him to feel something for her, even just the desire to kill her."

"Now that you mention it," Shirou mused. "I remember something about Cu Chulainn capturing an enemy queen, and releasing her out of a lack of any malice for her despite being an enemy. She then repaid his mercy by returning with an army, and starting a war that ended with Cu Chulainn dying in battle. Was that queen…?"

"Yup, that was Medb." Sakura said with a shrug. "And to top it all off, Cu Chulainn might have died because of her, but legend claims that even though she was the cause of his end, he never felt hate for at that end. Or even thought of her at all, with some versions of the legend even claiming that if there were any women in his thoughts at the end of his life, they would have been his master Scathach, or the goddess Morrigan."

"Yeah, I heard about that too." Shirou agreed. "A crow landed on Cu Chulainn's shoulder as he died, and that it was the Morrigan keeping him company so he would not die alone."

Sakura nodded, while Shirou narrowed his eyes. "That said," he began. "If the legends are true and Cu Chulainn is indifferent to Medb, would he even work with us against her?"

"…point," Sakura conceded after a moment. "But I do think it's worth a try, right?"

"Well, if you put it that way…" Shirou conceded before smiling at Sakura. "Looks like you and I might just be able to work together."

"Good to hear," Sakura said with a nod. "Anyway, the possibility of Lancer being turned against Rider aside, pass by my house after school. Let's see if we can start buffing up your magecraft."

"Sounds good…though…"

"Hmmm…?"

"Why exactly is Rider killing people, though?" Shirou asked. "There's no question she has to be stopped, but…why?"

Sakura's face turned ugly. "It's not for prana, unlike Caster." She said darkly. "From what I can tell Rider uses her Noble Phantasm 'My Red Mead' to build an army of brainwashed slaves."

"What?"

Sakura nodded grimly. "She goes from bar to bar to café to café or whatnot in the pleasure districts at night," she said. "And offers her mead to any who accept. Even a single sip of that brew will destroy what free will you have, and turn you into a willing slave. Anything you think or do will be twisted as an act of devotion, 'love', and loyalty to Rider. And the first command to them, is to prove their devotion to her by killing everyone who refused her mead."

"That's monstrous!" Shirou exploded.

"I know." Sakura agreed. "But it gets worse."

"How can it get worse?"

Sakura knocked on wood. "Again," she said. "From what I can tell, Rider's Master is using magecraft to make her slaves stronger, turning them into an army to use against other Masters and Servants. It's just what you'd expect of Rider…but more to the point, this is where it gets worse. They're completely devoted to her, and we'll have to get past them to get to her and her Master."

"No…" Shirou breathed, his face twisted with horrified realization. "You don't mean…?"

"Yeah," Sakura said, kicking at the concrete floor in anger. "We might have to kill them to take Rider out."

"T-that's…"

"But it gets even worse."

"…what?"

Sakura looked down. "There's no guarantee that killing Rider will cancel out the effects of My Red Mead." She said. "If so…then we'll be left with a bunch of people who are fanatically devoted to her, who have been enhanced by means of magecraft or alchemy, and who at the very least, are likely to blame us for taking their queen away, and gods know what they might believe, think, or do beyond that."

"Then…"

Sakura's face hardened as though it was made from stone, though her eyes wavered as morality and rationality fought. "Death might be a mercy." She whispered.

"You don't believe that, do you?" Shirou asked, also in a whisper.

"…I don't want to believe it." Sakura said with a deep breath. "And I know that you don't either."

"…yeah, I don't." Shirou said with a sigh of his own.

They didn't speak much after that, the good mood having been ruined by the fearful thought of the extent of the damage Rider might inflict.

* * *

Sakura and Shirou arrived at the former's home in time to see Aoi Tohsaka stepping out of a car which then drove off to the back of the property, where the garage could be found. "Hi, mom." Sakura greeted her mother as they approached. "Back from a shareholders' meeting?"

"Yes…hello, Emiya-kun."

"Hello, Aunt Tohsaka."

Aoi smiled at Shirou before falling into step with him and her daughter as they walked towards the front of the Tohsaka mansion. "Are you tired, mom?" Sakura asked, and Aoi sighed.

"Yes, really tired." She said. "I know the meetings are important, but they can just get real tiresome. I delegate as much as I can, but there are just some things I have to oversee in person."

Sakura nodded sympathetically. "It can't be helped, right?" she said, and Aoi nodded.

"Quite," she said, before Shirou opened the door and let them both in, Aoi favoring the boy with a smile as she passed. "Well, enough about that. I'm sure you and Emiya-kun have a lot to do, so I'll just go and freshen up, while you do what you have to do."

"Alright, mom."

Aoi nodded, and then smiled at Shirou. "Enjoy your stay, Emiya-kun." She said, walking ahead of them through the foyer.

"Thanks, Aunt Tohsaka." Shirou said with a polite bow. "And sorry for the trouble."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all." Aoi said with a laugh.

"Your mom really does seem like a nice person." Shirou observed a few minutes later, once he and Sakura were in the Tohsaka library.

"She is." Sakura said with a small smile. "And I'm very thankful for that. She's…not really, the best role model for a magus who's growing up. But she was the one who taught me all about right and wrong, about using my powers responsibly, and how to see and cherish the really important things in life, instead of losing them and regretting never being able to do so until it's already too late."

"…I take it back." Shirou said after a moment. "She's a wonderful woman."

Sakura laughed. "She is." She agreed. "Though, mom disagrees."

"Why?"

Sakura shrugged. "She says dad would be disappointed in how she raised me." She said. "I disagree but…well, it's not like she gets hung-up over it so…"

Sakura shrugged again. "Anyway," she continued. "You just stay here while I go and get some things we need, as well as have some tea and snacks sent over here. Feel free to browse through the shelves, though please be sure to put everything back once you're done."

"Will do."

Sakura smiled and then walked off, leaving Shirou alone. For a while, Shirou just sat in his seat, taking in the sights around him. He'd already been in the Tohsaka mansion once before, so he already knew it was a western-style residence, and a richly-furnished one at that. While Sakura didn't have any of the…negative, traits one tended to attach to anyone labeled as a 'rich girl', she really _was _a rich girl, and it showed in the house she lived in.

Getting up, Shirou did as offered, browsing the shelves around him. Most of the books were in Japanese, but there were plenty in foreign languages as well, Shirou recognizing English, French, German, and even Russian or East European (based on the alphabet used) titles on the spines of some of the books on the shelves. The age of the books too was evident, with plenty of old-fashioned hardbound books or even hand-bound ones that probably went back to before the Second World War.

And the topics the books were about ranged just as wildly, not just solely on magecraft, but covering topics as varied as mathematics, geology, geography, oceanography, astronomy, biology, and many more, and there were even fiction books. That last was quite limited in selection though, focused on classics with few modern titles, and even those were of the older variety, lacking titles in certain genres like science fiction or cyberpunk.

Not that it was really surprising, of course. This _was _a magi household, though steampunk was surprisingly common among the fictional titles in the Tohsaka library.

The books aside though, something else that caught Shirou's attention were a number of pictures mounted on the walls or standing on shelves here and there. Some of them were – unsurprisingly – old, faded black and whites of people dressed in 19th or pre-WWI 20th Century fashion, and progressively getting younger from there. The first color photo was of a blonde woman dressed in a kimono, standing on a bridge in what was probably Kyoto or some other Japanese city with well-preserved wooden infrastructure dating back to before the Meiji Restoration.

Shirou blinked, as he noticed something peculiar about some of the newest photos. They were of two toddlers, both very similar in appearance, so much so as to be all but indistinguishable unless one had an eye for detail (which Shirou did). Only…they never appeared together, and only one ever seemed to appear to grow past a certain point, into who was clearly Sakura Tohsaka.

But…if so, then who was the other baby?

And what happened to them?

"Hey, I'm back." Sakura said, walking into the library carrying a tea set while a maid followed carrying a small wooden case of some sort. "What are you doing, sempai?"

"Huh? Oh, uh…just looking around." Shirou said, turning back to and approaching Sakura to politely relieve her of the tea set. "Anyway…what do we do now?"

* * *

Sakura replaced her teacup on its saucer, and with a gesture, had the maid put the tea set on a nearby table. Sakura then put the case from earlier on the table between herself and Shirou, and opening it, revealed a…jewelry, set of some kind.

"Anyway, let's see what you've got about the basics." Sakura said. "I'm sure you already know all about the basic theory, let's say…what is magecraft? How does it work? Who invented it? And so on and so forth."

"Yeah, dad taught me those well enough." Shirou said with a nod.

"Good…then let's see what you can do with the basics." Sakura said with a nod of her own. "Project something for me."

"What?"

"Project, or use gradation air anything you want." Sakura said. "As you know, projection or gradation air isn't a very useful mystery, being incredibly common and thus 'diluted' in terms of profoundness, plus any object it produces is, bluntly put, crap, because making something out of nothing is True Magic, and projection is _not _True Magic. You're still making nothing out of nothing, and all that."

"Uh…sure." Shirou said while scratching a cheek. "Anything, right?"

"…keep it appropriate."

"…I was." Shirou said dryly before taking a deep breath, and holding out his hands in front of him. "Trace, on."

The familiar feeling of burning pain filled Shirou's body, as though his nerves were being poked with a red-hot poker, but then…

"…what are you doing?" Sakura asked.

Shirou opened his eyes, the prana burning through his body fading away as he lost concentration. "Um…opening my magic circuits?" he asked, as though the answer was obvious.

"No, you're not." Sakura said. "You are trying to commit suicide. Seriously, who taught you that was how to open magic circuits? And you've been doing that all this time? I'm shocked…it's a miracle…True Magic even, that you haven't caused yourself to have a heart attack or a stroke if that's what you've been doing all this time."

"Look," Shirou said, looking and sounding a little offended. "I know I don't know much, but there's no reason to go that far. I did the best I can, and dad did the same when it came to teaching me. It's just that…dad wasn't doing very well at the time. He was…sick…and getting worse…"

"…sorry…" Sakura said after a moment. "I went too far."

Shirou nodded, and then Sakura began rummaging through her jewelry kit, before pulling out a vial of some kind. "Well," she said. "You do seem to know the concept behind opening your circuits, just not the how. To use layman's terms…you seem to be making a switch to throw them open and close every time you use magecraft, when you only really need to make it once, and to remember what that switch looks like and how it works, and from there you can open and close your circuits normally."

Sakura then handed Shirou the vial with a small smile. "Drink it up." She said. "That should help you figure it out."

Shirou took the vial, and then shrugging, opened and drank the vial. His eyes bugged out and he gagged as he handed the vial back to Sakura. "That's terrible!" he gasped. "What did you make that from?"

"Eh…you don't want to know." Sakura replied evasively. "But it works! Sorry for the taste, though."

_I'd have you swallow a gem, except my jewel magecraft is **very **specialized, so I have to make up alternatives for other mysteries that I can't use jewels for._

_Imaginary Numbers might be incredibly rare, but it is very inconvenient at times not having a normal elemental affinity._

"Ugh…comes with being a magus, I guess…whoa…" Shirou said before blinking and beginning to wobble as the world began to spin around him.

"Sempai?" Sakura asked.

"I…I'm…I'm tired…I…" Shirou stammered out before toppling out of his chair. Sakura sprang forward and caught him before he fell, though her cheeks turned pink as Shirou ended up face-first in her chest. "…really soft…and warm…"

"That's not…" Sakura said while turning even redder.

"…smells nice…" Shirou murmured before his eyes closed and he fell unconscious.

"…it could be worse." The maid remarked after a moment, and Sakura sighed before picking Shirou up and putting him back into his chair.

"Really helpful, Kana." She remarked.

* * *

Steam hissed as fluid-filled cylinders began to vacate their contents, sticky, pale-green liquid spilling down onto the metal railing below, flowing through the slats into open pipes which fed them away for recycling. Then the cylinders opened, transparent aluminum falling open to allow bulked-up men to fall out onto all fours. They gasped and vomited out more of the pale-green liquid, and then shaking their heads to clear them, rose to their feet.

Orders were barked in German through loudspeakers, the men walking through an open door to where they would receive weapons and armor. "Very impressive," Rider remarked as she held her Master in her arms, the young man greedily groping her body while keeping his face buried in her chest. They were sitting in an observation room above what her Master called a 'production floor', and from there they saw their 'recruits' receive their 'improvements'. The better to serve her, of course. "We're going to need a lot more of them to fulfil our purposes, and of course, you'll need to live up to your promises. You will, won't you?"

"Yes, my queen!" The young magus eagerly said, pulling his head up to look at her in the eyes. Rider found the puppy-like devotion and eagerness of her Master quite endearing, especially as he was already enamored with her even before partaking of her mead. "Anything and everything for you!"

Rider smiled and pulled him even tighter against her. "Now then," she said, while stroking his head with a hand. "Tell me more about how you strengthened our troops."

"Of course, my queen!" the young magus said. "I won't bore you with the details, but by means of alchemy, I've made their bones and muscles stronger, and reduced the sensitivity of their nerves."

"And this helps us how?" Rider asked.

"They would now have the bodies of men who've spent decades honing themselves for the battlefield." her Master replied. "Whether it's in terms of strength, agility, or endurance, and I've also imprinted into their minds the knowledge of how to use various kinds of weapons."

"Hmm…that sounds useful." Rider remarked. "Will it be enough?"

"No…they need to practice a bit to be able to use the full extent of the imprints." Her Master answered. "But with the right support, they will serve you well when it comes to fighting the other Masters."

"I see." Rider said with a nod. "That still leaves the other Servants, of course. I would prefer not to dirty my hands…though I suppose if I can get them to drink my mead, there would be no need for blood to be spilled. And if not…well, if we can get their Masters on our side…again, blood need not be spilled."

"A truly ingenuous plan, my queen." Her Master praised, and Rider laughed.

"Aren't you cute?" she said with a smile, and running a hand through his hair. "Now then…you've been working hard for so many hours now. How about we find someplace else to relax, and I help you with it, hmm?

"Anything you desire, my queen!" her Master eagerly said, and Rider laughed again.

Yes, it truly was good to be queen.

* * *

A/N

In hindsight, the tale of Medb and Cu Chulainn is arguably a comedy. There's just something comically _wrong _about a gold-digger chasing after someone who has absolutely no interest in her, up to and including starting wars just to get his attention. And in the end, she never gets what she wants from him, as he dies content and in the company of a different woman (Morrigan), who while disliked (?) by him also has something of an obsession with him. Which is still more than what Cu ever felt about Medb.


End file.
